Fire Scorches 300-Plus Acres on Missoula’s Mt. Sentinel

By Matthew Frank, 7-09-08

Photos by Anne Medley and Chris Lombardi

For a Thursday morning update click here.

UPDATE - 10:45 p.m.: The fire is now estimate at 300-350 acres, according to Cindy Super. Officials have not yet estimated the containment percentage.

Thirty people—from the city, DNRC and Lolo NF—will be fighting the fire through the night. The goal, Super said, is to lock down the flanks before Thursday’s expected wind. “That will be a concern,” she said.

By morning, three helicopters should be available to continue water drops.

Super confirmed that two children were involved in igniting the fire, but what was used to do so is still under investigation. She said the city will release more information Thursday.

UPDATE - 10:15 p.m.: The fire remains active on its eastern edge and will soon reach the north summit of Mt. Sentinel. It’s burning in timber on the north facing slopes of the north and south summit, though no crowning has been reported.

Ten smokejumpers are fighting the fire. The lone helicopter has pulled off due to darkness. No air tankers are available (speculation is that they’re all in California). Cindy Super, DNRC fire prevention coordinator, said crews will work through the night in hopes of having it contained by morning, when gusty winds are forecast.

The fire is burning on city, DNRC and Lolo National Forest land.

UPDATE - 9:30 p.m.: The fire is now estimated at 250 acres.

It’s making a big run toward the ridge of the north summit, and is burning actively along its northern edge. And it’s also flaring up on the southwestern edge, toward the base of the mountain, forcing the helicopter to drop water there, too.

But Cindy Super, DNRC fire prevention coordinator, says it’s likely that the wind will die down and humidity will come up, giving crews a good chance of containing the fire tonight.

An air tanker was requested but is apparently unavailable.

No injuries have been reported and no structures are currently threatened.

The DNRC’s press release is pasted at the bottom of this story.

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Smoke is billowing above the Missoula Valley from a roughly 100-acre grass and brush fire that flared up at the base of Mount Sentinel early this evening, apparently ignited by two children.

A helicopter equipped with a water bucket is making laps from the Clark Fork River while firefighters are digging a fire line to slow the fire’s spread up into timber.

“It hasn’t burned real hot,” said Boyd Hartwig of the Lolo National Forest, “and it’s not moving real fast.”

He said an air tanker may be on the way.

The edge of the fire is near the end of South Avenue, by the university apartments, and growing slowly to the north, south and east. It appears the fire has crossed Sentinel’s south summit. The southern edge of the fire is calm while the northern edge is putting up the most smoke.

No structures are threatened.

Nearby resident Gloria Stonechild told NewWest.Net, and the police, that her seven-year-old grandson and his friend ignited the fire with a lighter, stolen from an unlocked car, and a phone book.

“It’s awful when your kids have something to do with something like this,” Stonechild said. “I feel responsible right now. I hope they get it under control. And I hope I don’t have to pay for this.”

Police have not confirmed the cause of the fire and it remains under investigation.

The fire is being fought by the DNRC, the Missoula Fire Department and smokejumpers from the Forest Service.

Check back for updates.

For more photos visit Emily Witcher’s Flickr page at www.flickr.com/photos/disgruntella/

Here are a couple sent in by Hank Green.

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PRESS RELEASE

July 9, 2008 9:30pm, Missoula, Montana – At approximately 7:00pm Wednesday evening, firefighters from the City of Missoula responded to reports of a grass fire at the base of Mount Sentinel near the University of Montana’s married student housing. The fire spread in the dry grass on the mountain and grew to about 30 acres within the first hour.

The response to the Mount Sentinel Fire was a synchronized effort between Missoula City Fire Department, USDA Forest Service, Missoula Rural Fire District, and the Montana DNRC. In addition to engines and firefighters provided by each, a DNRC helicopter assisted, dropping buckets of water scooped from the Clark Fork River.

“This serves as a good wake-up call for Missoulians,” said Cindy Super, Fire Prevention Specialist and Information Officer for the Montana DNRC, “Despite good moisture all spring, and even snow in June, the grasses are starting to dry out and carry fire really well.”

Super noted that firefighters would be working on the blaze well into the night, and plans for tomorrow call for additional firefighters, engines, and an additional DNRC helicopter to assist with mop-up operations. Latest estimates put the Mount Sentinel fire at 250 acres, and the cause is under investigation.