Evacuations continue for the Bedrock Fire

The Bedrock Fire near Lenore, about 26 miles east of Lewiston, continued to burn an estimated 8,000 acres at zero percent containment Friday, with smoke so thick air attacks were temporarily suspended.

Firefighting aircraft were grounded until late afternoon because the haze limited visibility, according to Scott Philips, policy and communications chief at the Idaho Department of Lands.

“The aircraft support definitely helps with suppression efforts,” Philips said. “But if the flight and visibility conditions are not safe, we will not risk a life to fly. It’s a safety issue, really.”

Eleven engines provided structure protection Thursday night. By Friday, six crews, 16 engines, seven water tenders and five bulldozers were attacking the fire.

Nez Perce County Sheriff Bryce Scrimsher confirmed an emergency order for evacuations in the small town Friday morning, placing many residents near River Road in the “GO” stage, a Level 3 evacuation meaning individuals must immediately leave.

The rest of Lenore remains in the “SET” stage, a Level 2 evacuation indicating residents should be ready to leave at a moment’s notice. The towns of Leland and Southwick, south of Southwick Road, are in the “READY” stage, a Level 1 evacuation meaning residents should prepare to relocate.

“We allowed people to go back (Thursday) thinking the fire was out,” Scrimsher said. “But we had a flare up, and with high winds, it went quickly.”

Crews were tasked with taking inventory of burned structures Friday, but Philips said information about the number of structures affected is not yet ready for release.

The cause of the fire remains a mystery, and investigators are seeking photos taken Wednesday between noon and 6 p.m., when the blaze was still small. Pictures taken of smoke plumes in the vicinity around the same time period are also useful. They can be emailed to bhelmer@idl.idaho.gov.

A former fire warden living near Winchester, Alecia Juber, captured images Wednesday of the initial smoke plume moving toward Woodside Road.

“I was upset to see this gigantic smoke column,” Juber said. “The grass here is so dry you could rub two sturdy pieces together and start a fire. It takes one little ember just to blow a little bit.”

Land management agencies implemented Stage II Fire Restrictions on all lands within the Grangeville Fire Restriction Area because of the high threat of wildfires in north central Idaho.

Air quality in the vicinity of the fire, and many surrounding areas, is reported to be “very unhealthy,” according to the air quality index on the Department of Environmental Quality’s website. Nez Perce County Emergency Management encourages individuals to remain indoors as much as possible.

Julia Sullens, deputy fire bureau chief of operations at Idaho Department of Lands, said the fire is moving into deep canyons on the northeast corner. Crews are focusing on securing structures within the community.

“The fire is split into three different divisions,” Sullens said. “We will have resources across all of the divisions, but our primary focus will be from the fire’s edge down to the river.”

An incident command post was recently established in Orofino, where 251 personnel are assigned to the fire.

The department is updating the fire status on its Facebook page, and evacuees are welcome to come to the Lenore Community Center along U.S. Highway 12.

Philips urges people not to stop and watch if they are in an area with active fires.

“If at all possible, please stay out of the area around Lenore,” he said. “It is not safe. Let’s give the men and women fighting this fire the space they need to do their job.”

Other local fire activity includes:

The Dixie-Jumbo Fire located 15 miles south of Elk City remains at 43,230 acres and 60 percent containment. Firefighters searching for hot spots found little to no heat over the last several days, according to a news release.

The Cougar Rock Complex 30 miles northeast of Orofino is at 8,353 acres and 53 percent containment. Crew mopped up a few hot spots Friday by the perimeter of the fire.

The Granite Pass Complex located near Lolo on two national forests remains at 5,758 acres and 15 percent containment. Some small growth on the fire is expected with the return of warm weather and low humidity over the weekend.

Palermo may be contacted at apalermo@lmtribune.com. Follow her on Twitter @apalermotweets.