Due to two fires, Fish and Game has closed the Craig Mountain Wildlife Management Area 30 miles south of Lewiston.
Lightning ignited the fires on Friday, July 14, and the WMA will be closed to the public until further notice past the Deer Creek Road and past Hoover Point to allow for fire crews to battle the fires.
According to Idaho Department of Lands, the Corral Creek and Powerline fires are burning in remote rangeland and grew to about 800 and 1,500 acres, respectively by July 16. The area’s weather is predicted to continue to be hot and dry.
Resources on the two fires include a helicopter and single-engine air tankers. Several engines and are also assigned to the Powerline fire.
Fire managers are waiting for the arrival of additional resources including 6-20 man crews, engines, dozer and additional air resources. It is anticipated that the Zaza Road will be closed in the near future.
A type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered and was expected to arrive July 17. Structures in the vicinity of both fires are still not threatened and no evacuations are planned. An estimated date of containment for either fire has not been determined.
The fire is in the Idaho Department of Lands, Craig Mountain fire protection area. Cooperators include Fish and Game, Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, Lewis County Sheriff’s Office and Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office.
