montana wildfire roundup

A Red Flag Weekend for Montana Wildfires

By Matthew Frank, 8-19-07

	This is Sunday's map of the state's biggest and most pressing fires. Click the image to enlarge. The colors represent the following: Red: Actively burning in the last 12 hours. Orange: Actively burning in the last 24 hours. Yellow: Previously burned. For the the full Forest Service's MODIS Active Fire Detection map, click here.

Updated 12:05 p.m. Crews on Montana fires have had a relatively quiet weekend, but red-flag conditions that flared up several fires Saturday are still in effect Sunday.

On Sunday night and Monday, however, a cold front will move in (the high on Monday in Missoula could be in the 60s) and it will bring the potential for rain.

Here’s a glance at the largest fires burning in Montana…

Western Montana Fires:

• Firefighters on the Black Cat Fire northeast toward Evaro, are preparing for a “critical weather day” Sunday with predicted winds of up to 30 miles per hour. 

  A red-flag warning is in effect on the fire today into the afternoon, cautioning against winds from the southwest. But, a cold front should move into Western Montana later in the evening, bringing with it some rain but also shifting winds from the northwest.

  The fire made a run toward Evaro Saturday night, fueled by gusty winds, and a mandatory evacuation was issued for all property accessed off of Highway 93 on both sides of the highway from mile post 5.5 (previous evacuation area) to mile post 10 (Joe’s Smoke Ring).  Some roads included in the area are Mercer Road, Evaro Road, and Beargrass Mountain Road and all property accessed from these roads. 

  The fire grew to 7,900 acres Saturday and crews now have it 10 percent contained, with most of the containment on the fire’s south flank, where the fire burned into homes Thursday, destroying three vacant mobile homes, one vacant house, and several outbuildings. Click here for the complete story.

• The southeastern flank of the Jocko Lakes fire burning west of Seeley Lake is still being a bugger, but crews are getting a good handle on the rest of the fire, especially on the section closest to homes along the western shore of the lake.

  The fire has grown to 27,990 acres, with most of the spread coming from the fire’s southeast and northeast flanks. But, on the east side, there was news good enough Saturday to prompt a standing ovation at the community meeting, said fire information officer Pete Buist. “It’s pretty well buckled up,” he said.

  On the leading eastern edge, where the fire has burned within feet of houses in the Eagle Point subdivision, crews had contained and secured the line by Saturday night and Sunday, residents there were allowed to return to their homes. That leaves all evacuations on the fire lifted except those residents west of Placid Lake on the south end of the fire, the section that’s been giving crews trouble.  The fire is 20 percent contained

  For a complete report on the Jocko Lakes fire, click here.

• The Sawmill Complex, a complex of three fires near Rock Creek and 22 miles southeast of Missoula, has grown to 47,290 acres and 15 percent contained. A Red Flag Warning is in effect this afternoon for gusty southwest winds and low relative humidity.

  The Wyman 2 Fire, the biggest of the complex, is 32,056 acres. The fire was active north of Stony Creek as it moved toward Little Stony Creek yesterday. Crews are assessing containment opportunities in that area. The fire is expected to continue pushing south toward the fuel break lines in the Stony Creek area. Crews patrolled along Rock Creek and removed equipment no longer needed.  The north side of the fire was active on the top of Green Mtn and into the upper portions of the Eagle Creek drainage. Firefighters plan to tie into the 2000 Alder Fire to impede northern spread. Additional fire activity was along the Bitterroot Divide, where the fire is burning down the west side in Ravalli County. 

  The Sawmill Fire is 6,225 acres. It’s moved north to Mecca Gulch. About 80 residences from milepost 6 to 9 on Rock Creek Road remain evacuated, but all residents may travel in and out with the knowledge that road access in the evacuated area and upstream may be curtailed at any time as needed for fire operations.  Hoping to take advantage of moderating weather conditions, firefighters are looking at Gilbert Creek for long term plans to stop northward movement of the fire. They will also working with homeowners to provide structure prevention information.

  The Fisher Point fire is 7,371 acres.  The Fisher Point Fire was active again on Friday, and some growth occurred as it continued to slowly back down Sandstone Ridge toward Upper Willow Creek. Several retardant drops were made in an effort to check the fires’ spread toward Elkhorn Creek. Helicopter bucket drops were used to cool the southeast portion of the fire Crews. Heavy equipment began removing wildland fuels in Willow Creek in preparation and continued implementation of structure protection plans with installation of pumps and hoselays around structures.  The Granite County Sheriff issued a warning of a potential evacuation to Willow Creek residents on August 15, and advised that residents may only have twelve hours notice should an evacuation be issued. 

  Rock Creek Road beginning at the intersection of I-90, south to the intersection with state road 348, remains closed. Only residents and area landowners are allowed access beyond the control points. Stony Creek Road is also closed. An American Red Cross evacuation center is available for evacuees at the Bonner Elementary School.

• The Rombo Fire, on the Bitterroot National Forest, had another active day Saturday, growing by 4,000 acres to 17,000 acres.

  Saturday, the fire spotted to the north into the bottom of Piquett Creek. The fire is approximately 3 miles from any structures. The reports from fire camp say given the cold front and the accompanying winds that are expected tonight and tomorrow, new evacuations have been initiated. Mandatory evacuations are in affect for 30 structures in the area south of the Job Corp Center to Lloyd Creek.  Evacuation notices are being issued for 35 structures between Lloyd Creek and Lavene Creek.  Residents can get up-to-date information about these evacuations by calling the Ravalli County Evacuation Hotline at 375-6650. 

• The Tin Cup Fire west of Darby was called 100 percent contained Sunday. The fire is at 608 acres, and despite initial alarm about the blaze—it was the nation’s number one priority late last week—it was contained quickly with no structures lost.

  For more on the Rombo, Tin Cup and all of the Bitterroot blazes go here: http://63.196.254.151/WildWeb/WCMT-BRC.htm. Click “recent incidents.”

• The Conger Creek Fire, Lolo National Forest, 20 miles north of Ovando along Highway 200, is at 10,200 acres and being managed as a Wildand Fire Use fire and monitored, not actively suppressed.  (Click here to learn more about Wildand Fire Use.)

Northwestern Montana Fires:

• The Chippy Creek Fire, 42 miles southwest of Kalispell, grew again Saturday to 92,784 acres from 89,823 acres. It is still 30 percent contained.

  From morning reports: Saturday, predicted Red Flag wind event arrived over the fire at 4 p.m. and remained over the fire until 9 p.m. as expected.  The fire was active along the north, northwest and northeastern portions, causing firefighters to retreat from the fire line.  Fire crews prepared for the afternoon winds, which exceeded 15 to 20 miles per hour.  There was significant fire activity several miles southwest of Hubbart Reservoir.  Sunday is supposed to bring cooler weather and possibly some rain.

  Residents along the Hubbard Dam Road from the junction with the Niarada Road north to the Hubbard Dam subdivision remain under an evacuation order.

• The Skyland Fire in the Flathead National Forest totals 43,408 acres at 52 percent contained. It’s 45 miles east of Whitefish.

  Tuesday, the trail closures in Glacier National Park were lifted. All evacuations have been lifted, but at least 72 residences are on still on notice to evacuate and 26 others are still on evacuation warning.

• The Brush Creek Fire, burning about 25 miles west of Whitefish, was relatively quiet over the weekend.

  This fire grew slightly to 28,928 acres and is still 70 percent contained.

  The mandatory evacuation order issued by the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is still in effect for the community of Star Meadow, and the “evacuation request” issued for the Good Creek Community is also still in effect. There is a community meeting Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Incident Command Post located 3¼ miles south of US Highway 93 on Farm to Market Road.

Southwestern Montana:

• The Rat Creek Fire, has grown slightly to 16,894 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, 25 miles west of Wisdom. Reports say the Big Hole National Battlefield is threatened, but it re-opened to the public Saturday. It will remain ready to evacuate if necessary.

  The Northfork Ranch, Ritschel Ranch and Maybee Ranch are on evacuation, while several other ranches and the Battlefield are being monitored and are on pre-evacuation notice. 

• The Pattengail Creek Fire, in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest 10 miles northeast of Wisdom, grew to 11,788 acres Saturday. No structures are threatened.

Central Montana:

• The Ahorn Fire, burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness and Lewis and Clark National Forest 30 miles west of Augusta, added about 1,500 acres Saturday to 50,450 acres. It remains 6 percent contained.

  Most of the recent activity has been on the fire’s west flank, near the Blind Fork of Ahorn Creek, to the north, near Prairie Creek and Goat Creek and to the South between Burned Creek and the South Fork of the Sun River.

  Evacuations are still in place to the fire’s east (Stoner Place), around Gibson reservoir and to the fire’s south, in the Benchmark area, where there are about 65 forest service lease cabins.

  In the next 48 hours, a decrease in temperatures with an afternoon chance of showers and thunderstorms will likely moderate fire activity.

• Crews have a good handle on the Meriwether Fire, burning in the Gates of the Mountains Wilderness north of Helena near Wolf Creek. The fire grew slightly Saturday to 42,849 acres and is 75 percent contained.  Crews are already doing line rehabilitation and some mop up while monitoring the fire above Hunter Creek.

• The Fool Creek Fire, in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, 30 miles Northwest of Choteau, grew Saturday to 55,500 acres, up from 49,300 Saturday morning.

  The fire did run through a group of seven summer lease cabins in the Massey Tract area this week, but none were burned, Taliaferro said. Several outbuildings were lost in the fire, however.

  There fire is just to the north of the Teton Pass Ski Area and crews are doing structure protection there on buildings and the ski lift.

Southcentral Montana:

• The Columbine Fire, burning 46 miles southeast of Mammoth in Yellowstone National Park got some more rain over the weekend and it is mapped at 18,255. The eastern entrance to the park is now open after being closed intermittently by the fire and then on Saturday, closed by a mudslide unrelated to the fire.

• The The Hicks Park Fire , in the Main Boulder Drainage south of Big Timber, has been combined with the Wicked Creek Fire , burning near the Mill Creek drainage of the Paradise Valley south of Livingston, to form the WH Complex.

  In total, the complex has burned 29,350 acres, and is 10 percent contained.

  The Hicks Park Fire prompted officials this week to implement several closures, including the Main Boulder River Road, from Natural Bridge south. The drainage has been evacuated from ClydeHurst Church Camp (near Big Beaver Campground) south to Box Canyon. From Natural Bridge to ClydeHurst Church Camp, residents have been placed on pre-evacuation notice.  For residents on pre-evacuation notice, Sweet Grass County is requiring they obtain a trip permit to access their property, to help ensure a correct accounting of people in the drainage should evacuation become necessary. Trip permits can be obtained at the Sweet Grass County Courthouse, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The Gallatin and Custer National Forests are implementing an area closure including the entire West Boulder and Main Boulder drainages.

  On the Wicked Creek Fire, burning 12 miles up the Mill Creek basin on the east side of Paradise Valley, about 20 structures, including a bible camp and an inholding, were evacuated Saturday and Sunday night. The Park County Sheriff issued evacuation orders for the Mill Creek drainage as well, above the end of the paved road. Daily public meetings are being held to discuss the wicked Hicks Complex.  On even days of the week, meetings will be held in the Big Timber High School at 6 pm.  On odd days of the week, meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Emigrant Community Center.  An additional meeting, hosted by Stillwater County, is scheduled for Thursday at 2:00 pm at the Nye Fire Hall. For residents on pre-evacuation notice, Sweet Grass County is requiring they obtain a trip permit to access their property. Trip permits can be obtained at the Sweet Grass County Courthouse from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information contact the Emergency Operation Center at 406-932-3014 or check their web page at: http://www.co.sweetgrass.mt.us/

For the latest fire information, visit NewWest.Net/Fire

Also, check in often to InciWeb, where the large fires are being updated from fire camp regularly. The large fires with InciWeb pages are linked in the roundup below. Click on the name of the fire for that fire’s page. (InciWeb has been slammed lately and it’s often inaccessible.)

For a look at fire weather forecasts, click here and for a national breakdown of wildland fires, click here.

Stage II fire restrictions, meaning no campfires, smoking, daytime industrial operations and motor vehicle use off designated roads and trails, are in effect across western and west-central Montana. Click here for more details. 

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