Wildfire Update: Horse River fire containment is up to 75%

There is a strong possibility that thunderstorms and additional showers can help extinguish flames near the Horse River and Jenkins Creek wildfires.

Crews will begin developing contingency lines in the vicinity of the 420 Road in the north and northwest of the Jenkins Creek Fire. As additional equipment becomes available, contingency lines will be developed to the southeast along the 425 Road and the Bundle Lake Road.

Jenkins Creek Fire Quick Facts: The size of the fire spread over 16,000 acres. The containment is currently at 94%, with over 200 personnel assisting. Continued Unmanned Aerial System (UAS/drone) flights resulted in the location of four hotspots inside the fire perimeter yesterday.

Fire crews located and suppressed one hot spot. The remaining three hotspots contained had no heat when located. The contingency lines in the northwest area of the fire are along the 420 Road towards the north. A large commercial masticator, a machine capable of grinding large woody material, is being used to reduce ground surface fuels.

As additional masticators become available, fuel reduction will be initiated along the 425 Road. It will then be utilized along Bundle Lake Road to the southeast. Crews will continue to monitor and address any sources of heat as they patrol the perimeter of the fire. As new mapping data from the UAS and ground crews becomes available, acreage of the fire will be adjusted.

Horse River Fire Quick Facts: The current size is at 13 acres and there are current 26 personnel battling the blaze. Cooperation from the weather, and continued effort to identify and suppress sources of heat, has resulted in gains in containment on the Horse River Fire.

The fire is now considered to be 75% contained. After an extensive gridding process, crews in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness were unable to locate any active heat. Within the perimeter of the Horse River Fire for the fourth consecutive day, equipment used by the crews will be removed by helicopter and crews will paddle out of the area.