Friday, August 24, 2007

Senator visits fire camp

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By EXPRESS STAFF
Express Staff Writer

U.S. Forest Service Ketchum District Ranger Kurt Nelson, center, discusses with U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, the plan to battle the Castle Rock Fire. Photo by David N. Seelig

U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, was in Ketchum on Wednesday for a briefing from U.S. Forest Service officials on the progress of the Castle Rock Fire.

"We've already lost 2 million acres in Idaho," Craig said, as he rode through Ketchum on his way to the fire camp headquarters at River Run Lodge.

Craig walked into the lodge and shook hands with fire officials who told him they were not used to such fancy surroundings at most wildfires.

"I love this. I'm amazed," Incident Commander Jeanne Pincha-Tulley told Craig.

Craig went outside, where Pincha-Tulley briefed him and Earl Holding, owner of Sun Valley Co., as well as Ketchum Mayor Randy Hall.

"It's a race against the weather now," she said, adding that a weekend cold front could pose problems. More firefighters were being brought in, and the number went to 950 by Thursday morning. That number could rise.

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"It's going very well right now," Pincha-Tulley told the senator. "We're out to contain this fire."

Holding watched the briefing from the SUV he arrived in.

"Thank you very much," he told Pincha-Tully.

"Thank you very much," she replied.

Sen. Craig wished the incident commander "good luck," before he left.