Crews still battling the 68,000 acre Wapiti Fire

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) — Although the clouds cover moved out earlier than expected on Sunday causing fire activity to flare up, the Wapiti Fire moved very little over the weekend and is now at 68,124 acres.

A second community meeting will be held at the fire station in Lowman on Tuesday, Aug. 27 at 6 p.m., there will also be other updates.

Crews are focusing on protecting structures and communities with several different strategies to achieve full suppression of the fire.

State Highway 21 is closed from east of Lowman to Stanley, mile marker 84 to mile marker 130, due to fire activity.

Division KK: Crews are working on mopping up the Cow Camp area as the fire has been backing down in that area. This past weekend crews burned out along Highway 21 north of Homestead. The structure group is prepping around Crooked Creek, Iron Creek and Goat Falls communities before the anticipated wind shift later this week.

Division PP: Crews are clearing trees along Highway 21 and mopping up the area where the fire crossed the road.

Division MM: It is anticipated that fire activity will pick up around here Monday and they will be focusing on securing the Boy Scout Camp and campground.

Division WW: The fire is backing into the Warms Spring drainage and evaluations are underway to find strategy to bring the fire down to the bottom of the drainage. Crews are making plans around the subdivisions of Two Ravens, Ten Ax and Seven Peaks to begin point protection. They are also continuing to mop up around Hanging Valley and Bear Valley.

Temperatures are expected to warm throughout the week and the humidity will decrease as well as clouds clearing. This will increase fire behavior which can bring the potential for increased rates of spread, torching and spotting.

To sign up for Custer County Code RED emergency notifications, text CUSTER to 99411 or enroll online here. Updates can also be found on the Custer County Sheriff’s and Boise County Sheriff’s Facebook pages.

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