New Wildfire 8 Miles SW of Tiller: Stouts Divide Fire

(DFPA) A smoke located about 8 miles southwest of Tiller was discovered this morning off of DFPA’s fire detection cameras, on the ridge between Stouts Creek and Meadow Creek. DFPA crews are currently on scene of the Stouts Divide Fire and estimate that the fire is several acres in size and report minimal fire activity. A road at the top of the fire is keeping the Stouts Divide Fire in check as it slowly backs down the hillside. Crews are currently working down both flanks of the fire to stop the fires spread. The Stouts Divide Fire appears to have started late yesterday evening, but the exact cause of the fire is currently under investigation. Anyone with information on the Stouts Divide Fire is asked to contact DFPA. While we aren’t experiencing fire conditions like we would see during the summer months, the Stouts Divide Fire serves as a great example, showing that given the right conditions, a wildfire can happen any time of year. The current dry spell observed throughout the area is having an effect on forest fuels, making them more susceptible to fire than we would typically see this late into the fall. While there are currently no public or industrial fire restrictions in effect through DFPA, individuals living, working, or recreating in wildland areas are encouraged to practice fire safety.