Good weather and luck kept the Loon Lake Fire at bay as of Wednesday, but the fire was still a threat to the vacation homes at Secesh Meadows.

The fire had grown to 11,800 acres by Wednesday, but the flames were moving away from the Secesh community, located 25 miles northeast of McCall.

Better weather allowed ground crew to make some progress on building fire lines and allowed helicopters towing large buckets to make water drops on the northeast leading edge of the fire.

Neighbors have gathered each night at the Stage Stop store to listen to fire briefings and to get the latest happenings from each other.

The community is actively involved in the defense of their homes and fire crews are working hard, said Nancy Bent, president of the Secesh homeowner's association.

"The community is really pulling together," she said. "We don't have a Starbucks as a central meeting place, but we really work hard to keep everyone in the loop."

At Monday night's meeting, it was announced that a 1,500-gallon bright-orange water drum had been stolen, to which those in attendance expressed outrage.

"We're rebels, but we aren't thieves," said Karin Becker of Lake Fork, who has owned property in Secesh for 32 years.

Becker said she's not terribly fond of the federal government but recognizes the hard work and dedication of the fire crews.

"It's terrible because we have so few resources anyway," she said.

"These guys are awesome. They treat every house equally. Who ever took that drum needs to give it back and then crawl back into the hole out which they came," Becker said.

Vern Peterson, a 20-year fulltime Secesh resident, said he is frustrated with the Forest Service over the management of the local lands.

"As thick as that forest is, the Forest Service knows that if they don't de fuel it, we're going to continue to have this problem," said Peterson, a retired logger.

"Yet they don't have timber sales," he said. "This is totally out of control. It was a time bomb waiting to happen."

Last weekend, Peterson had especially good visibility of the encroaching flames.

"My neighbors a few homes down could see the trees go off like roman candles," he said.
As of Wednesday, the East Zone Complex fires, comprised of the Loon Lake Fire, the Zena Creek Fire and the Raines Fire gobbled up 38,200 acres.
The breakdown of acreages are:

• The Loon Lake Fire, 11,800 acres.

• Raines Fire, 13,600 acres (1,000 additional acres reported by the Rattlesnake fire across the Salmon River).

• Zena Creek Fire, 13,800 acres.
  
  Total cost of fighting the East Zone Complex had reached $2.4 million as of Wednesday.
  A total of 314 firefighters were battling the complex, aided by 28 fire engines, 14 water tankers and three helicopters.