September 8, 2021 9:30 a.m. 

Hot and dry conditions the past two days combined with winds from the southwest have caused an increase in fire activity, but little fire growth on the Rough Patch Complex.

An update from the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team said smoke diminished visibility significantly, grounding aircraft and raising safety concerns near fire lines. The fire grew in multiple areas of the complex, in some cases spotting over containment lines.

The Rough Patch Complex is 41,228 acres. The Chaos Fire remains at 22,860 acres while the Little Bend Fire is still at 7,744 acres. The Chaos Fire crossed the containment line to the north along the 2460 Road by Fairview Peak. The Little Bend Fire saw increased activity in the southeast corner near containment lines.

The Jack Fire and the Buckhead Fire have had no change in size at 23,990 acres and 5,714 acres respectively. The Near Minky Fire continues at 4,867 acres. It is south of the Jack and Buckhead fires and is contained on all sides, with the exception of the northwest corner.

A marine push later in the week is expected to bring more seasonable weather.

Containment on the Rough Patch Complex is still at 35 percent while the Jack Fire remains 55 percent contained.