Breaks 1 Escaped RX 2010

On September 25, 2010, the Breaks 1 Unit 4 Prescribed Fire was ignited southwest of the town of North Fork, Idaho. Firing operations progressed slowly, stopping and restarting in response to changing weather conditions and forecasts. On the afternoon of Sept. 28, winds increased well beyond forecasted strengths. Between 1830 and 1900, two spot fires occurred to the east below the unit boundary. The spots were on a very steep slope in mixed timber litter and grass fuels. They had the potential to run back up the slope toward the burn unit perimeter control line. The next morning—because crews could not safely construct direct handline around the spots—an assessment of opportunities for containment indicated that spot fire spread could not be halted before the end of the next burning period. Once this assessment was completed, the prescribed burn was declared a wildfire and named River Breaks. 

Escaped Prescribed Fire