STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

The Ross Fork Fire nearly derailed today’s Trailing of the Sheep Big Sheep Parade, as it forced the evacuation of John Faulkner’s 1,800 sheep from their normal routine as they made their way from summer pastures nearly Stanley to Ketchum.

But the fire, which burned 37,886 acres and is 64 percent contained, is not believed to have impacted the cross-country ski trails in the Alturas Lake area.

Nelson Mills,, the shared stewardship forester for the Sawtooth National Forest, said the fire claimed trees at the south end of Alturas Lake but is not believed to have affected the trails. But he was not sure whether the closure order signs that currently prevent access to Alturas Lake, the Cabin Creek lakes and other areas will be lifted in time for the 2022-23 winter ski season and the Sawtooth Ski Festival, which takes place on trails near Alturas Lake in early March.

The very latest closure order seems to show that the area is reopened, however.

While the lightning-caused fire has not grown in the last few weeks, two columns of smoke could be seen beyond Smiley Creek on Wednesday. It’s common for fires like the Ross Fork Fire to continue to burn in the interior, feeding on dead and dying trees, Mills said.

The fire, which claimed three cabins in Smiley Creek and threatened to incinerate the entire town at one point, forced the evacuation of sheep who were headed to grazing allotments in Frenchman’s Creek and Smiley Creek when the fire blew up amidst record heat and extremely windy conditions over Labor Day Weekend.

“When fire comes, sheep circle around. They don’t run,” said Cory Peavey, who runs the sheep operations for the Flat Top Sheep Ranch.

Peavey recounted how Faulkner’s crew, himself and others met with Forest Service representatives for nearly four hours figuring out where the sheep could go. Fortunately, a sheep company allowed the bands to graze on private property on the opposite side of the highway from Smiley Creek before they made their way south.

But, unable to stay as long as they normally do in the area, the sheep were forced to come out ahead of the time that would have brought them to Ketchum for the Trailing of the Sheep parade.

“We thought we would have to call up all of you who had reserved hotel rooms and tell you there would be no festival this year. No pressure on me!” Peavey told those attending a 90-minute Q&A with sheep ranchers Friday afternoon at The Community Library.

Finally, it was decided that the Peavey family will supply 700 sheep coming out of the Trail Creek area for the parade this year. Faulkner, in turn, supplied 300 sheep for the four-day Sheep Dog Trials, which the Flat Top Sheep Ranch normally provides the sheep for.

ANOTHER FIRE ERUPTS ON WEDNESDAY

The Sawtooth Valley between Galena Summit and Stanley nearly found itself with another runaway fire Wednesday afternoon as a four-door Jeep-like car with Florida license plates caught fire just north of the already-burned Decker Flats on Highway 75.

Fire crews shut down the highway for nearly 90 minutes as they brought in a helicopter to douse flames that crept into the grass and up trees alongside the highway.

Without foam, it was tough to mitigate the flames, which turned the car to a scorched piece of rubble. A fire engine from Stanley poured water onto it, then returned to Stanley to refill its water tank, returning for another round.

Finally, the fire was put out and the car towed away.