Drew Dodson here with this week’s edition of the Valley Lookout newsletter. Smoke over the last few days may not reflect it, thanks to fires burning in northern Idaho, but great progress has been made in containing the Rock Fire. Details on that, and more, below.

First up

Forest Service: Rock Fire ‘not expected’ to grow anymore

Containment of a wildfire burning near Tamarack Resort increased to 37% on Tuesday as fire managers’ confidence increased that flames would not jump containment lines built over the last two weeks.

The fire was sparked by lightning about 1.5 miles south of the resort on Aug. 12 and had burned 2,792 acres as of Tuesday. That total is “not expected” to increase, though the fire will likely continue burning in isolated interior areas that are well within containment lines, according to the Boise National Forest.

“There are still approximately 160 acres of unburned vegetation scattered within the interior,” the Boise said in its Aug. 26 morning Rock Fire update. “These pockets of fuel may continue to ignite, creep, and smolder for days or even weeks, producing smoke and occasional visible flames.”

No structures have been lost during the Rock Fire, though it burned up to a containment line built along Tamarack’s Upper Bliss ski run and threatened homes in the resort’s base area and along West Mountain Road.

West Mountain Evacuation Zone 7 remained under the “Set” stage of Valley County’s protocol on Tuesday, meaning occupants should be ready to evacuate “at a moment’s notice.” South of the resort, West Mountain zones 5 and 6 remain in the “Ready” stage.

Containment has been declared on the fire’s northern line with Tamarack and its southeastern line. Most current efforts are focused on achieving containment on the fire’s eastern line, the Boise Forest said.

Containment lines were dug by hand crews and dozers around nearly all of the 33-mile perimeter of the Rock Fire. Those lines are fortified by about 115 miles of hose lines and 64 pumps that are supplying water to firefighters on the front lines.

An uneven burn line, however, has made it harder for fire managers to declare containment, according to the Boise Forest. Firefighters have completed several controlled “burnouts” in which the fire is advanced to containment lines where it is then extinguished.

A total of 877 personnel remained on the Rock Fire as of Tuesday, as well as three helicopters, 32 engines, and 30 pieces of heavy equipment.

On the Payette National Forest, crews put out three new fire starts last week that were caused by lightning. The Lady Bug Fire burned about a half-acre south of Jug Handle Mountain, while the Crystal Fire near Burgdorf Hot Springs burned about eight acres before being contained and extinguished. A third fire, known as the Wildcat Fire, burned about a tenth of an acre on the Krassel Ranger District before it was declared out.

(A view of the Rock Fire as seen from the summit of Tamarack Resort on Aug. 25 Photo: Courtesy Boise National Forest)

Valley County to hold one more McCall Impact Area hearing

One final round of public comment on the new McCall Impact Area boundaries will be accepted by Valley County during a public hearing next week at the McCall Public Library.

The Board of County Commissioners is set to take public comments on its proposal for revised impact area boundaries and regulations on Sept. 3 at 1 p.m. A final decision is not expected until October.

The county favors a significant reduction in the size of the McCall Impact Area, a planning boundary around city limits that is under county jurisdiction, but has historically been subject to zoning laws resembling those in place within the city.

A map of Valley County’s proposed boundaries is available here. Earlier this summer, the City of McCall proposed updated impact area boundaries that largely resembled those currently in place, as Valley Lookout reported.

The county’s proposal includes an overhaul of the current development review process used for applications within the McCall Impact Area. If adopted, county code would apply to the impact area instead of zoning laws similar to those in place in the city.

The county would also assume responsibility for reviewing all development applications in the impact area. Currently, the McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission makes recommendations to the county commissioners on land use decisions in the impact area.

Updated boundaries for the impact area must be adopted by the end of the year to comply with a new state law that established stricter criteria for determining impact area boundaries. County officials have said the new criteria left them little choice but to shrink McCall’s impact area, particularly due to a lack of sewer availability outside of city limits.

Civic Lookout

• McCall City Council: Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. Agenda available here.
• McCall Area Planning and Zoning Commission: Next Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Agenda to be posted here.
• Valley County Commissioners: Next Wednesday, starting at 9 a.m. Agenda includes 1 p.m. public hearing to adopt new McCall Impact Area boundaries and regulations.

Valley Lookout Original Reporting

‘It’s a very crowded section of river’: Valley County eyes new boating restrictions amid increased use

Several different proposals for new motorized boating rules on Lake Cascade and the North Fork Payette River are pending as Valley County prepares to complete a five-year review of its waterways ordinance. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Australian mining company begins drilling near Yellow Pine, planning further exploration

The new owner of mining claims within a mile of Yellow Pine began exploratory drilling last week for gold, antimony, and tungsten. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

‘We couldn’t get answers’: State agrees to develop Payette Lake milfoil plan alongside local agencies

Local officials went back to the drawing board on Tuesday with the Idaho State Department of Agriculture after the agency unexpectedly reversed course on using herbicides this summer on an infestation of Eurasian watermilfoil in Payette Lake. Read the full story on Valley Lookout.

Mountain Happenings

McCall

• Farmer’s Market: Today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Book Sale: Friends of the McCall Public Library to host annual Labor Day Weekend Book Sale at the library on Friday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Payette Lake Run: Annual race to be held on Sunday, starting at 7:30 a.m. in Brown Park. 5K, 10K, and 30K races available, registration open here until Saturday at noon.
• Group Mountain Bike Ride: Central Idaho Mountain Bike Association to host a group ride on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Bear Basin Nordic Center. All skill levels welcome.

Donnelly

• Farmer’s Market: Every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Donnelly City Park.
• Wednesday Night Concert Series: Blaze and Kelly to perform in historic Roseberry at 6:30 p.m. tonight.
• Ice Cream Social: Saturday in historic Roseberry from noon to 3 p.m., featuring a quilt show, raffle, vintage cars, live music, games, and crafts.
• Bikes, Brews, & Bluegrass: Tamarack Resort to host live music, local breweries and end-of-season bike sale on Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Registration open here.

Cascade

• Boise State Game Day: Tailgating food and prize giveaway on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at the Warm Lake Lodge.
• 100th Birthday: Cascade Public Library to celebrate 100th anniversary on Friday at noon with stories, a book sale, a laptop raffle, food, and children’s crafting.
• Live music: Merle Haggard’s son, Ben, to perform live at Freedom Outdoors on Saturday at 4 p.m., followed by Chris Bender at The Local at Clear Creek on Sunday at 4 p.m.
• Labor Day BBQ: Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Warm Lake Lodge.

New Meadows

• Farmer’s Market: Every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Dorsey Warr Memorial Park.
• Meadows Valley Days: 60th annual celebration featuring a classic car show, lumberjack competition, logging show, axe-throwing contest, and more to be held Saturday and Sunday in Dorsey Warr Memorial Park.
• $1 Sale: All shorts, pants and tank tops on sale for $1 at the Community Store Thrift House from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday and Saturday.

Mountain Pet of the Week

Meet Theron! Owner Jim Pace of McCall says Theron is alert, a fast learner, and a good citizen around other pets and people. At just 11 months, he seems more mature than other ‘teenage’ dogs. But still a lot of fun!

Click here to nominate your pet for Mountain Pet of the Week for a chance to be featured on a weekly newsletter!