ENTERPRISE — Activity on the Double Creek and Eagle Cap Wilderness fires has slowed dramatically, but the blazes won’t be out “until the snow flies,” as one fire official said earlier this month.

Monday, Sept. 26, was predicted to be hot and dry, with conditions similar to mid-August as opposed to late September, according to the daily press release on the fires. However, the press release said, high fuel moisture and lack of wind will prevent any large fire growth. Instead, any active fire will be what firefighters call “skunking around” — low-intensity fire, which acts in ways similar to a prescribed burn, cleaning up unburned pockets of fuel resulting in a more fire-resistant landscape and a healthier forest, fire officials said.

The Double Creek Fire near Imnaha grew 49 acres in the previous 24 hours and is 81% contained by the 513 personnel assigned to it. The northern and southern edges of the fire remain the most active. With temperatures expected to reach the mid-90s near Cow Creek, the fire will be more active, and smoke will be more evident. Crews and aircraft will continue to monitor the fire and are prepared to engage.

There has been virtually no activity on the Eagle Cap Wilderness Fires in recent days, fire officials said.

The Sturgill Fire remains at 20,192 acres with 53% of its management objectives achieved.

The Nebo Fire was not to be staffed with firefighters or suppression-repair resources on Monday, as no fire activity has been detected and fire-suppression repair crews are focused on the Double Creek and Sturgill fires. Aircraft will continue to fly over the fire looking for smoke. The Goat Mountain 2 Fire remains at 536 acres.


Relative humidity was expected to drop to around 15%, recovering to the mid- to high-30s overnight. Along the ridges, temperatures were expected to be in the mid-70s with relative humidity dropping to around 25%.

For more information, call 541-216-4579, email 2022.doublecreek@firenet.gov or visit the inciWeb site at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8366/.