Update: Don’t head to Redfish Lake. Forest Service closes area as Sawtooths wildfire burns
A wildfire in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area prompted the evacuation of a popular campground and closure of the surrounding area, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Officials said the Bench Lake Fire — which started at around 12:30 p.m. Thursday near the namesake string of lakes — had covered about 66 acres by Friday afternoon. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The Forest Service said in a news release that the Custer County Sheriff’s Office led an evacuation of Redfish Lake Inlet Campground, a four-site campground at the southwest edge of the lake. The campground is about a mile from the Bench lakes.
On Friday, the agency said Forest Supervisor Kirk Flannigan planned to issue an area closure for the entire Redfish Lake complex, including the lodge, trails and all campgrounds surrounding the lake.
“We are letting folks know that the order is coming now in hopes of catching visitors before they head this direction,” Flannigan said in the news release. “With the concentration of fuels in the Sawtooth Wilderness, the unusual weather pattern we’re experiencing right now, and the proximity of the fire to a very popular recreation destination, we believe it’s better to be safe than sorry.”
Officials said the fire danger in the area is high. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for the area, which denotes extreme fire weather. High temperatures and gusty wind are in the forecast. The heat wave that’s affected Boise also has hit the Idaho mountains, and the temperature in nearby Stanley on Friday was 87, according to the weather service.
The Friday news release said the forest has called in a complex incident management team to take point on the fire. Such teams are typically deployed for especially large wildfires or those with unusual challenges. That team will take over from the current incident commander on Saturday evening.
Officials said an engine crew, an attack aircraft, two water scooper aircrafts, a lead plane and a small Type 3 helicopter, which carries several firefighters and 180 gallons of water, are on the scene. Another helicopter that can support rappelers is en route.
In a separate news release, the Forest Service said a “helicopter incident” occurred as crews began their initial attack on the fire. A Forest Service spokesperson said in an email that one pilot was on board and survived. The agency declined to provide additional details Friday and said the incident is still under investigation.
A Custer County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post said the helicopter pilot was able to call 911 and “hike out with assistance to the awaiting Stanley ambulance.” It was unclear where the incident occurred.
This story was originally published July 12, 2024 at 8:52 AM.
