CASCADE, Idaho —
Firefighters on the Four Corners Fire west of Cascade have contained most of the fire and completed nearly all of the suppression work, officials with the Payette National Forest said Monday.
Homeowners are being allowed to return to previously evacuated areas, and the incident command post at the southern end of Lake Cascade has begun dismantling the fire camp.
As of Monday, Sept. 26, the fire has burned 13,729 acres and is 96% contained. A Type 4 Incident Commander will deploy a Type 1 hand crew and two engines to monitor and patrol the last 4% of containment line in the Willow Creek drainage and along the fire perimeter.
Above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation is expected for the early part of this week; temperatures are expected to drop just ahead of the weekend.
"A fire of this size in this fuel type requires a significant and persistent winter storm to completely cool the larger fuels like logs and stumps. Even when the fire is 100% contained, there will be interior activity that may show smoke and flames from time to time," according to forest officials, who say a Type 4 Incident Commander will likely remain in place until a "true season-ending event."
The closure area has been reduced to allow more access to areas in and around the fire.
The Sept. 26 update was fire information officers' last daily update for the Four Corners Fire.
"Nevada Team 2 wants to thank all of our partners and associated agency representatives for their support and counsel during the fire's duration. These include: the Payette National Forest, Valley, Gem and Adams counties, and Idaho Department of Lands," officials said in a Payette National Forest news release. "Special thanks goes to the communities of God's Acres, French Creek and Campbell Creek as well as the residents of Cascade, Donnelly, McCall and surrounding areas for their generous support they have given to Nevada Team 2 and all personnel involved in the Four Corners Fire."
The fire has burned in grass and timber, including sub-alpine fir.
Here is an interactive map of the fire area:
The Four Corners Fire is one of eight wildfires that PNF responded to after the August 13 thunderstorms. In a Facebook post the following day, PNF reported that firefighters had begun responding to six fires throughout the national forest that are in connection to the thunderstorms.
FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to help with firefighting costs.
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