The Bench Lake Fire has continued to expand, with its size reaching 2,427 acres over the weekend due to persistent hot and dry conditions. As of Saturday morning, containment stands at a modest 8%, with around 395 personnel working tirelessly to manage the blaze.
The Great Basin Team Four, responsible for handling the fire, has reported that aviation resources, including water scoopers, have managed to slow down the fire’s spread. This progress has allowed ground crews to work more effectively on securing the fireline. Despite these efforts, achieving full containment of the fire will be a lengthy process.
In response to the growing threat, the Florida Wildfire Prevention and Education Team has dispatched nine members from the Florida Forest Service Fire Prevention Education Team. They arrived on Wednesday to join forces with the Sawtooth National Forest personnel. Their mission is to deliver crucial information and materials to affected areas within the forest.
The region’s weather conditions remain unchanged, with hot and dry weather continuing to affect fire behavior. According to the Great Basin team, smoke from the fire will likely persist throughout the weekend, especially after the afternoon inversion lifts. Stanley may experience a temporary respite from the smoke as it shifts eastward towards Challis.
Residents and visitors should be prepared for increased traffic due to the arrival of additional firefighting resources and heavy equipment. Officials urge drivers to exercise caution and be aware of the heightened activity on the area’s roads.
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Efforts to protect structures, particularly at Redfish Lake Lodge and surrounding facilities, are ongoing. The use of pumps, hoses, and sprinklers continues to safeguard these sites. Fire crews stationed north of the fire are maintaining vigilant monitoring to prevent the fire from crossing the fireline, while teams on the southern edge are utilizing natural features to strengthen containment.
A dedicated air resource advisor has been assigned to the incident to provide daily updates on smoke-related developments via the InciWeb link.
The Sawtooth National Forest is currently under stage one fire restrictions. These restrictions allow campfires only in designated recreation sites with metal or concrete fire pits and ban fires in dispersed camping areas.
Additionally, Sawtooth National Recreation Area officials have implemented an expanded emergency closure affecting the Redfish Lake recreation complex, including the lodge, roads, trails, and campgrounds. Highways 75 and 21 remain open.
