Montana’s Largest Fires Near Containment; Smaller Fires Force Evacuations, Warnings.

BUTLER CREEK FIRE (NW of Missoula)

The Butler Creek Fire was first report Monday, July 22, 2024, at about 1:30am. The fire is burning west of Butler Creek Rd in grass and heavy timber, 7 miles northwest of downtown Missoula. It is north of I-90, and east of Hwy 93. So far, it has burned 307 acres, and is 15% contained. Its cause is being investigated.

Firefighters are working to clear vegetation to create fuel breaks and reduce fire spread. Dozer line is also being created. Three helicopters are dropping water on the fire to cool the fire’s edge and reduce its spread.

The Missoula County Sheriff’s Department has issued an evacuation order for residents on Lavelle Creek Road and on the west side of Butler Creek Road from Lavelle Creek Road to Timberline Ridge. Residents under an evacuation order may return to their homes between 12:00 and 1:00 PM today (Tuesday) to gather needed items.

Residents north of Timberline Ridge and on the east side of Butler Creek Road are under and evacuation warning. The evacuation order issued for residents in the Indreland and Buffalo Speedway area has been downgraded to an evacuation warning. To view a map of the EVACUATION ZONES, please visit missoula.co/evacuationmap.

The American Red Cross of Montana has opened an Evacuation shelter at the Christ the King Catholic Church, 1400 Gerald Ave, Missoula.

MILLER PEAK FIRE (Lolo National Forest)

The Miller Peak fire experienced minimal growth yesterday (Monday), and stands at 2581 Acres with 25% containment. On the northeastern section of the fire, crews continued to secure and hold the line. From the Miller Peak ridge top they are continuing their efforts to put in heavy equipment line into the Allen Creek area. In addition, crews were successful in maintaining lines on the western perimeter of the fire, working into the Miller Peak area. Crews on the southeastern edge of the fire work to secure and hold the direct line within Moccasin creek. Additionally, hand crews, dozers and feller bunchers (large piece of equipment similar to a harvester that cuts down trees and groups them) are securing line along Moccasin Ridge road. In the Greenough Creek drainage, crews continued to construct direct hand line.

BLACKTAIL CANYON FIRE (Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest)

The Blacktail Canyon Fire has burned 76 acres in the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest, southeast of Butte. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The evacuation warning issued by Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department for Blacktail Canyon Road southeast of Homestake Road, Homestake Road east of Blacktail Canyon Road, and Passmore Canyon is still in effect. This means residents in those areas should be preparing to leave their homes on a moments notice.

A Fire Weather Watch will be in effect over much of western Montana on Wednesday, for gusty winds, low relative humidity, chances for thunderstorms, and an unstable atmosphere. The combination of these weather conditions, the volume of fuel in and adjacent to the fire area, and the amount of internal residual heat result in significant potential for this fire to spread.

An infrared guided aircraft assisted crews in locating and securing spot fires outside the line through residual smoke and dead and down fuels. Crews secured these “spots” by walking in a “grid” pattern along the fire edge.

Crews were able to complete sawline and associated handline around the fire perimeter, starting at the southwest corner of the fire in the Beaver Pond Meadows area and progressing northward around both flanks to meet at the head of the fire in upper Blacktail Canyon. The “hotshot” crews completed sawline by creating a pathway, removing dead and down fuels, and mitigating “snag” hazards. Additional crews completed handline by removing all fuels down to bare mineral soil and securing the fire edge. Crews will continue to hold and secure the constructed lines, “mopping-up” areas of residual heat, over the next couple of days. There is still a tremendous amount of residual heat in the smoldering fuels throughout the fire footprint. Crews have been able to complete these “mop-up” operations along approximately 20% of the southern portion of the fire’s edge so far.

These crews will again camp near the fire to decrease travel time back and forth, maximizing efficiency and increasing firefighter safety. Helicopters will be available for aerial support with bucket drops and movement of supplies and cargo through “sling loads.”

DEADMAN FIRE, McGHEE FIRE, PRAIRIE FIRE, 4-MILE FIRE (Rosebud & Bighorn Counties)

Neither the Deadman nor the McGhee fire has grown in the past 24 hours, while containment has increased to 95% on the Deadman Fire, and 73% on the McGhee Fire.The Prairie Fire and 4-Mile Fire have been fully contained for several days, now. Patrolling, monitoring, and mopping up will continue today (Tuesday). Repair and rehabilitation of suppression and control lines are also ongoing. Hand crews will finish repairing control lines on steep ground today. Unburned islands in the interior of the McGhee and Deadman Fires will continue to burn out in the foreseeable future and produce visible smoke. However, the probability of escape is very low. The temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire area will be lifted at the end of today.

HORSE GULCH FIRE (Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest)

Yesterday the containment continued to increase as crews focused on mop-up operations to put out any leftover heat along the northern portion of the 15, 167-acre fire, and it is now 95% contained. Today and going forward, suppression repair will continue on all areas of the fire as crews and equipment will be used to repair fire lines. This will help mitigate any heavy rainfall events before vegetation can be established on those lines. Heavy equipment will also be utilized to repair roads that were heavily used by crews to access the fire so that those roads are left better than when the fire started. Crews will also continue to monitor and patrol the fire line and mitigate any residual heat near control lines.

While the fire is nearly contained, there will continue to be pockets of low intensity, smoldering fire burning throughout the interior of the fire. It is unlikely that these pockets would pose a significant risk of escaping control lines. However, there will likely be visible smoke until the area receives significant moisture events.

Categories: North Central Montana News