Articles Tagged With: Wildland Fire
Cool and relatively humid weather and even rain here and there have given firefighters a leg up on the wildfires burning across Montana, and as a result, most of the evacuation orders have been lifted.
As of Wednesday morning, the remaining Black Cat Fire evacuees are allowed to return home, as are the remaining Jocko Lakes Fire evacuees (residents of the Placid Lake area). Evacuations on the Sawmill Complex Fire southeast of Missoula and the Ford Fire near Billings were all lifted earlier in the week.
More updates on the biggest fires burning in Montana after the jump.
BLACK CAT FIRE UPDATE: At 10:00 a.m. today, fire and law enforcement officials will allow all remaining evacuated residents to return home. This re-occupation includes the area west of Highway 93 and north of the Bucksnort Restaurant, which was not included in the earlier release.
Visitation will be allowed on a limited basis. Residents will be required to escort visitors or service personnel from the traffic control points. This additional traffic needs to be limited to 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
All residents will be required to present ID and proof of residence at traffic control points. Those returning should remain ready to re-evacuate within one hour, if necessary. Livestock, and large items such as boats and trailers, should not be brought back into the area at this time. Residents are requested to limit road use in these areas once they have returned home from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Monday's cooler temperatures and scattered rain gave firefighters the edge they need on several Montana fires, including the Jocko Lakes fire burning near Seeley Lake and the Black Cat fire burning northwest of Missoula.
And, more of the same weather is on its way for Tuesday before things start heating up again later in the week.
The Black Cat Fire northwest of the intersection of Highway 93 and Interstate-90 near Evaro, which blew up last week burning three mobile homes, one vacant home and several outbuildings, went from 12 percent contained to 30 percent contained by Monday night.
Meanwhile, northeast of Missoula, the Jocko Lakes Fire west of Seeley Lake, calmed enough Monday to allow crews back into the fire's bugger of a south side to build more line after the fire jumped contingency lines there Sunday, forcing the re-evacution of the Placid Lake area.
Fire officials are planning a large-scale burn operation Tuesday on the now 12,0580-acre Castle Rock Fire burning near Ketchum, Idaho. The fire is 6 percent contained but fire officials say because the fire has spread so rapidly, they’re going to try to fight fire with fire.
As Gary Stivers reports at SunValleyOnline.com, the backfire is planned on the south-facing wall of Warm Springs Canyon.
A long, eight-inch-wide and –deep trench cut into the hillside 200 feet above the valley floor is one of at least two backup plans to protect residents below during the back-burn. A two-inch cloth water line lies alongside the trench and seems either a soaker hose or perhaps there for firefighters, just in case the fire approaches the homes immediately below it.
Valley residents attending a 6:30 meeting Monday night at Hemingway School were informed of the plan and told the fire would be lit at the top of the ridge for safety reasons, chiefly to avoid the ‘chimney effect’ an uphill burn could easily create and produce a runaway blaze. Additionally, the burn will be against the wind, providing a second line of control to produce the effect fire managers are hoping for.
Click here for updates on SunValleyOnline.com, including video and audio of the plans for the fire.
Weekend Winds Rouse Montana Fires; Two Homes Lost near Billings
Sunday afternoon's red-flag winds brought by a cold front stirred up most of the wildfires across the state, prompting more evacuations over the weekend on four fires in Western Montana. But cooler temperatures, higher humidity and even a bit of rain in spots followed, giving crews a breather and a chance to build more containment line.
The most pressing fire was the Ford fire, started by lightning near Lockwood's Emerald Hills area east of Billings Sunday afternoon, displacing an estimated 1,500 people and destroying two homes and several outbuildings and vehicles, the Billings Gazette reports. Monday afternoon the Ford Fire was 1,000 acres in size and about 300 homes were evacuated. Visit the Gazette for more updates.
Meanwhile, the The Black Cat Fire burning northwest of the intersection of Highway 93 and Interstate-90 near Missoula cooled down Sunday evening under the rain after flaring up earlier in the afternoon.
Update 7:30 a.m.: The big focus in the state now is the Emerald Hills Fire near Billings where, as the Billings Gazette reports, at least two houses have been destroyed and 350 residences are evacuated. The fire was estimated late Sunday night at 600 acres and is running though an old burn from last year in the Emerald Hills subdivision. The fire started late Sunday afternoon and is believed to be from a lightning strike.
The Black Cat fire northwest of Missoula calmed down Sunday evening as higher humidity and a few rain sprinkles helped crews keep the blaze west of highway 93. The highway was open Sunday but reduced to one lane of traffic in each direction, and travelers were advised to expect continued delays in the area due to fire traffic and smoke.
The high winds accompanying a cold front did materialize as expected this afternoon, and the fire flared up briefly in the Mill Creek area and spilled over into Cottonwood Creek, according to fire information officer Peter D'Aquanni, and that "put up a lot of smoke." But overall conditions were favorable as the evening progressed, with relative humidity rising into the 30% range. Crews conducted small, targeted burnout operations along the west side of 93 during the day to take out remaining fuel pockets. There are now some 432 personnel working the fire, with four dedicated heavy helicopters and additional air resources that are being shared with other incidents in the area.
On the Jocko Lakes fire near Seeley Lake, meanwhile, residents of the Placid Lake area were evacuated once again as the southeast flank of the blaze continued to be troublesome. But the evacaution proceeded smoothly and the fire had quieted Sunday evening as winds died down, fire officials said.
Update: 3:45 p.m. 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.
UPDATE: Law enforcement officials have issued a preparedness request to residents between mile markers 10 and 12 on Highway 93. The area affected by this request includes both sides of Highway 93 between mile marker 10 and 12, any roads off of Highway 93 in this area and all residences accessed by those roads. Law enforcement teams will be contacting residents and asking them to move any large items (boats, trailers, etc) in case an evacuation is ordered. Livestock should also be moved to an alternate location outside of this area. Residents need to be prepared to evacuate with one hour's notice and should have any personal items gathered and ready to go.
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.
UPDATE. With the Red Flag Warning issued today and the fire behavior in the Finley Creek drainage, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office has issued a mandatory, precautionary evacuation order for all of the Placid Lake area. Evacuees are being asked to check in at the Missoula DeSmet School, 6355 Padre Ln., Missoula. The American Red Cross is staffing the evacuation center.
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.
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...
Update: 10:00 p.m.
Gusty winds have pushed the Black Cat Fire northeast toward Evaro. A mandatory evacuation has been 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.
Highway 93 was closed for a few hours Saturday, from the Wye (exit 96 off of I-90) to mile post 10 at Joe's Smoke Ring, but by 9:00 p.m. it had reopened to escorted traffic.
An evacuation was lifted for the southern portion of Lower Mill Creek Road. Residents will be allowed to re-enter the area north of the Frenchtown Frontage Road to mile marker two, including Spring Hill Road. The area above the Mill Creek bridge will remain closed.
Saturday evening the fire was 6,275 acres and 10 percent contained, the containment being mostly on the fire's southern flank where it made its run Thursday, Bowen said.
Highway 93 is being used as a containment line to the east, Bowen said. The fire has not crossed the road, but "in some places the fire is very close."
