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Restrictions remain in place for Sun Valley area;
Castle Rock wildfire reaches 66 percent containment

Fire crews successfully completed burnout operations in the Warm Springs area of the Castle Rock fire near Ketchum Thursday. The burnout halted the spread of the backing fire further east toward Ketchum. Smoke from interior burns was still visible from points throughout the valley.

Crews continued structure protection, put out hot spots, improved and strengthened the line around the entire fire perimeter. A light rain occurred early this morning (Friday) over some of the fire area, but is not expected to have any effect on fire behavior No lightning struck within the area.

Burnout operations may occur today north of Frenchman's Bend and east of Red Warrior Creek and will proceed as fuel and weather conditions permit. The purpose of these operations is to remove fuels in the area. Fire crews will continue structure protection, patrol and will mop-up within 300 feet of the fire perimeter in the Warm Springs area.

Rappelling crews may be inserted deeper into the perimeter to put out interior burns. Around the remainder of the fire perimeter, extending from Fox Creek, along Highway 75 south to Greenhorn Gulch, west to Castle Rock and north to Fox Peak, crews also will put out hot spots within 300 feet of the perimeter and patrolling.

Mandatory evacuations remain in effect for the Warm Springs Road area west of Gates Road. Voluntary evacuation orders are in effect for Warm Springs from the bridge at Gates Road and for the Greenhorn Gulch subdivision beginning at the log arch.

All neighborhoods east of Highway 75, the Golden Eagle and Timber Gulch subdivisions, and St. Luke's Hospital are under an “advisory status” warning. For more information on the voluntary and advisory evacuations contact Blaine County at http://www.blainecounty.org/ or call (208) 726-7811.

These evacuations and advisories are in effect to provide for both firefighter and public safety as well as to allow safe and rapid incoming and outgoing of suppression equipment. An evacuation center is located at the Community Campus in Hailey, 1050 Fox Acres Road. There are a number of locations open for horse and other large animal sheltering. Contact the Red Cross at (208) 788-2117 for more information.

Thunderstorms are expected with accompanying winds gusting to 35 mph.

The 46,231-acre Castle Rock fire is now 66 percent contained. Resources fighting this fire include 1,701 firefighters including, 19 helicopters, 7 bulldozers, 45 hand crews and 113 engines. No lives or structures have been lost.

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Stage two fire restrictions are in place with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

Closures: The Sawtooth National Forest has established a closure area for public safety. The area includes the entire Ketchum Ranger District within the Big Wood River drainage and a portion of the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. For specific information and a map log on to http://www.inciweb.org/