12:12 p.m. MDT July 23, 2022

Most of the 5,000 acres of growth of the Moose Fire in eastern Idaho Friday was on the west and east sides, spreading for about a mile to the east and west. Friday night the fire burned actively, spreading west as far as Kayak Camp. In the North Fork area it reached the west bank of the Salmon River. Two miles of the east flank are on the steep slopes west of and above US Highway 93.

Friday’s Red Flag weather conditions increased fire activity along the top of Napoleon Ridge. North of the Salmon River, firefighters succeeded in holding fire line built during the last several days.

At 10:33 p.m. Friday it was mapped at 28,839 acres. At that time it was 12 miles northwest of Salmon, Idaho and 10 miles west of the Idaho/Montana border.

Two pilots were killed Thursday July 21 when their Chinook helicopter crashed into the Salmon River while working on the fire. They were identified as Thomas Hayes, 41, of Post Falls, Idaho, and Jared Bird, 36, of Anchorage, Alaska. The National Transportation Safety Board will conduct an investigation.

A spokesperson for the Salmon Challis National Forest said the cause of the fire is undetermined.

On Saturday firefighters will be holding and improving line around the north end of the fire and protecting structures along Salmon River Road and Highway 93.  On the southeast side, crews and heavy equipment will work on building an indirect line along Diamond Creek Road from the Highway 93 corridor up into Five Corners.

At the site of the Indianola Ranger Station along the Salmon River (see map above) there is a memorial to two firefighters who were killed while working on the Cramer Fire July 22, 2003 — Jeff Allen and Shane Heath, members of the Indianola Helitack Crew. More information HERE and HERE.

Weather conditions are expected to moderate Saturday with quieter winds, however it will still be hot and dry for several days.