US 395 and SR 108 open near Boot Fire; Forest closed to public

Firefighers now have a containment line around three percent of the Boot Fire as 6,873 acres have burned. Fire activity moderated yesterday with little fire growth occurring. More than 570 firefighters and numerous helicopters are making headway.

U.S. Route 395 and California State Route 108 have reopened to all traffic, however firefighters and road construction crews continue their work within the Walker River Canyon. If driving through the canyon, please go slowly, use caution, and follow the guidance of pilot cars and flaggers. Caltrans is advising the public to slow down through work zones. The safety of Caltrans crews, firefighters and other responding agencies is very important. Inattentiveness on the road can have tragic consequences.

While much of the fire area is burning in high elevation areas where aspen and mahogany trees are holding heat, firefighters are taking advantage of lower elevation terrain, grass and brush to contain much of the fire perimeter.

Due to the Boot Fire, the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest has issued a closure order within and around the burned area on the Bridgeport Ranger District. The closure, which goes into effect today, closes areas to the public that are not safe to enter because of firefighter suppression operations.

The public is advised to avoid National Forest System lands north of California State Route 108 from Sonora Bridge to the Junction of U.S. Route 395, north of Route 395 from Sonora Junction and Pimental Meadows, west of Swauger Creek due north to the junction of Forest Roads 067 and 089, from that junction due west to the junction of Burcham Flat Road/Forest Road 031 at the Forest Boundary, east of Mill Canyon Road due south to the junction Terry Canyon Road. From that junction, the closure includes Mill Canyon Road (Forest Road 042) and NFS lands to the east to Route 395. The closure continues due south on Forest Road 023 to Sonora Bridge. See the attached map for exact boundaries.

U.S. Route 395 and California State Route 108 have reopened to all traffic, however firefighters and road construction crews continue their work within the Walker River Canyon. If driving through the canyon, please go slowly, use caution, and follow the guidance of pilot cars and flaggers.

The closure will remain in effect until the Forest Service determines the area that is closed is safe for the public. The agency will continue to revisit the closure with the Boot Fire’s Incident Management Team on a daily basis to see if sections of the closed area can be reopened. People who are found guilty of violating this closure order could receive a maximum fine of $5,000 or six months in jail or both.

The signed closure order is posted on the Forest’s website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/htnf/alerts-notices. For information on the Boot Fire, visit: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6190/.

Weather: Warmer and dryer conditions will prevail through the weekend, raising the possibility of an increase in fire activity. Winds will increase the next few days, creating fire weather conditions that support torching and spotting if the fire is unchecked. Air quality remains GOOD over the Boot Fire allowing nice views from Sonora Pass. Air quality reports are online at: https://www.gbuapcd.org/cgi-bin/fireViewer?recID=42

Today: On the southeast flank near Swauger Creek, where pilots dropped extensive retardant Thursday, a finger of fire is trying to push northeast. An infrared image shows small hotspots along the eastern edge of the finger which helicopters and firefighters are working to prevent further growth. The tip of this eastern finger is about a mile north of Devil’s Gate.

Along the north central flank, just east and above the Walker River, a dozer is completing containment line. Firefighters plan to use this line to bring a section of fire back into itself to create a more secure containment line. Firefighters are preparing this operation today and plan to implement it tomorrow evening when the weather is cooler and winds are calmer. This area is very important to contain, as firefighters do not want the fire to move to the northeast where it could become more problematic. This area is steep, rugged and difficult to access, so firefighters are working cautiously.

On the western flanks, several hand and helitack crews are working along the ridgelines to construct direct containment line. This is in high elevation and thick timber requiring time and patience to complete. Firefighters and helicopters are working a finger of fire located southwest of Bootleg Canyon and east of Grouse Meadows. They are also beginning to install hose lines to speed containment efforts designed to keep the fire as small as possible.

On the southern flank, firefighters are using dozer lines, hand lines and natural barriers to extinguish and monitor the fire area that still holds interior heat.

Road Closure: Burcham Flat Road (FS 031) is closed to all non-fire traffic.
Evacuations: No change. A mandatory evacuation notice remains in effect for residents and structures in the area of Fales Hot Springs, Devil’s Gate Pass and Swauger Creek, and for the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center.