Rains dampen, but don't extinguish, TCC fires

▶️ Listen to this article now.

Editor's note: This story has been updated.

Thanks to the recent rains, the Trestle Creek Complex was dampened but it wasn't extinguished, fire officials said Wednesday.

"While this has helped the firefighters in terms of being able to hit the fire more directly, it has also added to the dangers for them," Dorothy Harvey, Nevada Incident Command Team 4 public information officer, said.

The roads in and around the fire are slick and muddy and the terrain is slippery. And when it is raining, the crews also have to be aware of the potential for flash floods and falling trees and snags, she said.

The fire, located 4 miles north of Hope, has burned 6,180 acres and is 5% contained.

Containment lines built by firefighters are holding on all fronts in the complex, but are being expanded and improved each day, said Harvey.

"Crews are hitting the fire direct where it is feasible," she added.

Safety of the public and firefighters is the command team's first priority, fire officials said. Harvey asked that the public drive with caution in the area, especially when encountering firefighting personnel, vehicles, or equipment.

The public also is asked to stay out of fire areas and to review and obey the latest fire restrictions, Harvey said.

A change in weather patterns meant a clearing of the smoke and haze which has plagued the area for the past few weeks. Harvey said a majority of smoke was coming from large fires west and north of the area.

A Type 1 helicopter with a bucket has been assigned to the fire, which now has 165 personnel assigned to the Trestle Creek Complex. In addition, there are three hand crews, 11 engines, two dozes, three feller bunches, two excavators, a forwarder, a masticator and three water tenders.

To the north, the rains and cooler temperatures also helped Idaho Department of Lands crews fighting the Jay Peak Fire. Firefighters have kept the fire to about 12 acres, building a control line around about 90% of the fire on Tuesday and keeping it contained to the ridge top, said Andrew O'Neel, director of the Boundary County Office of Emergency Management.

Located east of Naples, the fire was expected to be 100% contained by the end of Wednesday and all heavy equipment with the exception of one skidgeon.

"I think we were very fortunate to get a good wetting rain in some parts of the county yesterday but I hope it doesn't give people a false sense of security," O'Neel said. "We are still under Level 2 fire restrictions due to the extreme drought we're experiencing, and we expect more dry weather for a while."

Information: fs.usda.gov/alerts/ipnf/alerts-notices