The Valentine fire is a lightning caused wildfire that continues to be managed under a confine/contain strategy with the goal of reintroducing fire into a fire dependent ecosystem that has been excluded for more than 50 years. The intended result of managing naturally caused fires are to reduce hazardous fuels, encourage the growth of native forage, improve range conditions, increase species diversity, protect and improve wildlife habitat, improve watershed conditions and restore ecological balance while decreasing unnaturally high accumulations of fuel thus decreasing the potential for future fires to burn with unnaturally high severity in support of the Forest Service Wildfire Crisis Strategy https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/wildfire-crisis.  A local Type 3 Incident Management Organization has assumed command of the fire.

Hardwood litter and timber (litter and understory).

Increased fire behavior due to drying trend. 

Minimal
Creeping
Backing
Smoldering