was issued for northern Idaho to expect in- 

 creasing southwest winds 18-25 m.p.h. on 

 September 1. These winds did increase stead- 

 ily during the morning of September 1 and 

 continued until late that evening. 



THE EARLY DAYS - August 11 to 31 



This, then, was the weather picture. For 

 the fire activity preceding the major run on 

 September 1, we have information from the 

 Priest Lake Timber Protective Association and 

 the Division of Fire Control, Northern Region, 

 U. S. Forest Service. On August 11, a hght- 

 ning storm moved over the area causing 

 five fires on or near Sundance Mountain. 

 Three of the fires were discovered and at- 

 tacked on the 11th, and two were declared 

 out that same day; the third was declared out 

 on August 15. A fourth fire was discovered on 

 August 20, and 37 men, including 12 smoke- 

 jumpers, brought the fire under control that 



evening— 1830 — with 2 acres burned. The 

 fire was declared out on August 25 but was 

 monitored by air patrol for several days. 



At 2240 on August 23, fire number 5 

 broke out near the Sundance Lookout. The 

 fire was contained by the end of the day, 

 August' 24, with an estimated 35 acres 

 burned. Suppression activities continued for 

 the next 5 days. Late in the evening of August 

 29, at 2220, Priest Lake Timber Protective 

 Association Headquarters near Coolin, Idaho, 

 received word the fire had jumped the line 

 and was out of control. Men and equipment 

 were evacuated to headquarters. The fire was 

 observed rolling dovm the hill in the Lee 

 Creek drainage. A northeast wind had pre- 

 vailed throughout the day and it is assumed 

 this wind, coupled with the normal nighttime 

 downslope currents, resulted in a wind-driven 

 fire moving dovmslope. Information available 

 from observers indicated the winds were 



Figure 4. — Looking west at Sundance Mountain after the fire's night run toward Coolin on August 29. Lost 

 Creek in foreground; Soldier Creek on right. 



