[Editor Note: This archived article from 3  years ago originally had an error when you went to the page so if you had a problem before, it is now fixed. Thanks again to Charlie Webster for the great imagery!]

By Charlie Webster.

Forgive some of the drama in this blog, maybe I should re-write the whole thing, but I'll let it stand with some editing. There was a little heat of the moment hysteria going on.

August 28th, 2007

It can’t be happening, but it is happening. Did you ever think you would see these images? For years locals have whispered to each other, “boy, it sure seems like there is a lot of fuel lying around in the woods.” A very mature forest, the pine bark beetle, heavy fall of snow laden branches which occurred several times in the past decade, drought, beetles, heat, wind have combined to give us this: [Scroll way down to see all images]



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Over 1600 firefighting personel under the leadership of Jeanne Pincha-Tulley and Joe Reyes struggle to contain the hydra known as the Castle Rock Fire with big efforts, strained resources and great challanges. Strong, but not invulnerable fire lines hold around much of the perimeter. However a huge run occured in Bassett Gulch, throwing this monster plume over Baldy. The ski runs and the timber beside them remain intact with the exception of small areas. No homes have burnt, and no human has died. In the last few days crews in Greenhorn and on the top of Baldy fought pitched battles, and countless smaller fights took place. An incredible variety of aircraft hover, circle and attack the fire with water and retardant in the afternoons when the daily “event” occurs. But the fire has it’s own plans.



An ember streaks over into the bowls from the inferno called Bassett Gulch, which Joe Reyes described at the public meeting Monday August, 27^th. Red marks slopes which m ight have caused the huge plume this afternoon.



As Reyes spoke Monday night Bassett looked like this:



On Tuesday it looked like this:



With Bassett, Alturas, Cow Creek, Limekiln, Timber Gulch, Clear Creek, and Cold Springs all with potenital activity, what next?





Heaven, Big North, Larry’s Casino, are all names connected with the vast north facing slopes of Bald Mountain above the Board Ranch. There is more fuel in this area than in all other aspects of Baldy combined. Wind driven spotting could sweep across the backside we love. With more red flags on the horizon late in the week, the North Side is acutely vulnerable and a very dangerous prospect. Proposed back burns near Guyer Ridge on Wednesday, August 29^th will need to be kept in tight control lest they reach heavy fuel loads higher on the mountain, and then spot into the Ski Area.

August 16^th, 2007, the fire was reported at .5 Acres. The resources allocated to the initial attack on the Castle Rock Fire consisted of three smoke jumpers. Considering the conditions, and the location, 9 miles upwind of Bald Mountain, the response was unrealistic and warrants some review in light of the eventual cost of containment.

Next day, Friday, August 17th with Baldy right under the plume. Fire is 600 acres.


A five acre lightning caused surface fire has evolved to  a 600 acre crown fire running in dry heat with gusts to 35mph, 11 miles from Hwy 75. The interior temperature of a crown fire can exceed 1000 degrees celsius. As some hot-shots say: "the devil has begun to dance".



More Fire Service assets began to be deployed at this stage.  The USFS was aware of the fire and it’s growth.

Saturday, Aug 18^th the pristine Rooks Creek was sending a message:



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Fire is now 3200 acres.

Sunday, August 19^th, Castle Rock Fire, now 7000 acres:



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Now here’s a hint we have a real issue. The fire looks like it will eat the town. USFS continues to ramp up and seems to get a handle on the North Branch, holding it at Fox Creek in the north, while back burning up to it from the Bigwood and Warm Springs. The only casualties were Adams Gulch, Griffins Butte, Fox Creek and Eve Gulch.



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The northern line Monday, August 20th. Fire is now 10,000 acres. Jeanne Pincha-Tulley, Joe Reyes and their Type One fire crew was on the scene.

 Meanwhile on the southern front things smoldered and spots grew in Warfield and Red Warrior.



Butch Otter arrives in a Blackhawk Helicopter in time to attend the public briefing on Wednesday, August 22^nd, six days after the 3 smoke jumpers landed near Castle Rock. Butch brought more assets and attention, getting the fire declared number priority in the nation. The fire was not impressed. As the Govenor addressed the community flames roared up to the top of Red Warrior.



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Behind that smoke is real trouble: fire is cresting Red Warrior across the pass into fuel laden Lodgepole Creek, over the main ridge line to Bald Mountain.



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Thursday and Friday seemed almost quiet, but the fire held a hot black grip on Lodgepole and Mahoney Creeks, and it prepared to move east.

Red Flags went up Saturday afternoon and the fire surged to Greenhorn, spotting to Limekiln, which can be skied directly from the top of Broadway.



Fire is now around 30,000 arcres.



The mid-valley was evacuated and a battle to keep the fire out of East fork anticipated. The fire spotted to Timber Gulch, then Clear Creek and Cold Springs. St Luke’s hospital is at the mouth of Cold Springs Canyon. The Bowls are at the top. Meanwhile spots from Red Warrior had established in Alturas and then Bassett Gulch, even as Operations Manager Joe Reyes acknowledged the situation to the public.



By Tuesday, August 28^th, The Castle Rock Fire now has smoldering bridgeheads three quarters of the way around Bald Mountain. A large run in Basset Gulch sent the fear of fire straight into the heart of Ketchum.







Tuesday night, August 28th, all of Warm Springs is under mandatory evacuation. Fire is 45,000 acres give or take a creek. High winds are predicted late in the week. For the ski mountain the situation is critical. Pray for snow, thank the nearest firefighter, hold on to your hat and hope Jeanne and Joe have what they need.

Update 8/29/07.

From the inciweb Castle Rock Fire website:

"5pm update - Fire crews are putting out hot spots and patrolling the Fox Creek area. Some smoke is visible from the Wood River Valley, which remains interior of the fire perimeter. Near Bald Mountain, fire crews are burning out as needed but mostly managing the active fire. As the fire moves along the slope to the west, fire fighters are allowing the fire to remove fuels and will put the fire out as they continue west. Helicopters will aerially ignite within the burn out area, along Warm Springs, to clean up fingers and straighten the fire line this afternoon. Fire fighters in Greenhorn Gulch are making good progress constructing line toward the east to tie in with a hand-line near Timber Gulch. Smoke has been visible in the Timber Gulch and Cold Springs areas throughout the day, which is interior of the fire perimeter. Hand line on the western perimeter of the fire has been completed and fire fighters are putting out hot spots 500 feet interior of the hand line as they work north and south."













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The friday wind event has been cancelled. Best to all.

Complete Slides at

http://picasaweb.google.com/csvp07/CastleRockFire817To829

August 30th, 2007

By night and daylight back burning on the backside of Warm Springs above Board Ranch, an incredible feat, and containing spots within skier boundries, as well as containing large spotfires in Clear Creek, Cold Springs and Limekiln, the USFS Type One Team lead by Jeanne Pincha-Tulley and Joe Reyes have saved the Bald Mountain Ski Area. See Gary Stivers excellent piece:

http://www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/article.asp?ID_Article=3963

Be sure to watch the coverage of the thursday public meeting.

http://www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/article.asp?ID_Article=3962