July 21, 2021 4:20 a.m.

Firefighters from the Douglas Forest Protective Association responded to a holdover fire Tuesday morning, about six miles east of Glide.

Kyle Reed of DPFA said crews arrived on the scene near Hill Creek Road at around 10:30 a.m. and located the fire which contained a dead tree. Reed said a quick evaluation of the incident revealed minimal threat of escapement due to lack of consumable fuels in the area. Crews also determined that the structural integrity of the snag was severely compromised by the fire and reported that the tree was likely to burn through and fall on its own within the course of the day.

Reed said due to safety concerns posed by the burning tree, the decision was made to disengage and monitor the fire until the tree burned through and fell to the ground, which occurred about an hour after firefighters arrived on scene. Once the snag was safely on the ground, firefighters from two engine crews contained the fire. Reed said the Hill Fire burned about 1/100th of an acre.

Reed said additional holdover fires within the Archie Creek Fire scar may be located over the course of the summer as temperatures rise, and fuels dry out. DFPA continues to work with public management agencies and private landowners who were affected by the Archie Creek Fire to monitor the burned area by using fire detection cameras, aviation resources and ground patrols. All holdover fires that are detected within the footprint of the Archie Creek Fire this summer, will receive a response from firefighters and the appropriate suppression actions will be taken based on safety factors and the probability of fire spread, according to Reed.