Backbone Fire torches over 5,000 acres

Big Rock closes as army of firefighters assembles in Willow Creek

Humboldt Sentinel staff
7/12/09

Eureka

The lightening-sparked Backbone Fire in a remote corner of Six Rivers National Forest is now responsible for torching approximately 5,200 acres of steep backwoods countryside, and is only 25% contained.

State and federal authorities have responded with the assemblage of a small army of firefighters based in Willow Creek, and forest officials have closed the Big Rock River Access site off of Big Rock Road in Willow Creek due to the growing needs of the firefighter encampment and the nearby helibase.

"Rafters, kayakers, and anglers use this popular area to 'put-in' to the lower Trinity River," said Forest supervisor Tyrone Kelley. "With 10 helicopters and other aircraft continually active in the area, public safety is our primary reason for this closure order."

Visitors to the river can still launch their boats at Camp Kimtu Beach adjacent to Veterans Park, according to the SRNF release. However, there is still a “no stop zone” on the Trinity River from the mouth of Willow Creek to one mile downriver, where visitors are asked to float through with caution due to the nearby helibase.

Other ongoing closures include Horse Ridge National Recreation Trail, Salmon Summit National Scenic Trail, Mill Creek, Tish Tang, and Red Cap Trails, Bear Hole, and Grizzly Camp areas.

Meanwhile, the 11 “hotshot” firefighter crews continue to make progress through hazardous snags, dense brush and steep conditions, further securing the southern and western flanks of the blaze located 36 miles northeast of Willow Creek in the Trinity Alps Wilderness.

Indirect fire line construction continues along Devil’s Backbone Ridge, Fawn Ridge and the drainage for Salmon Creek. Firefighters are also preparing Salmon Ridge as a future burn-out operation to be operated as conditions permit.

District Ranger Mary Kay Vandiver also announced the commencement of clearing activities around the small town of Gasquet as a follow-up to the community protection project implemented in 2003 to create shaded fuel brakes. Pioneer Village, North Fork Loop, Gasquet Mobile Home Park, French Hill Road, Gasquet Mountain Road and French Hill Trail will be thinned of small diameter trees and brush will be cleared in a project spanning over the next two months. Members of the public who are interested in this project are asked to contact district fuels planner Sheila Balent at (707) 457-3968 or at sbalent@fs.fed.us.

On the administrative side, Ken Swartzlander's California Type II Incident Management Team has joined George Custer's National Incident Management Organization out of Atlanta to manage the Backbone Fire.