Plant Fire Contained at 93 Acres, Horse Gulch Fire Grows to 2000 Acres

The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office has issued evacuation orders for homes between Cave Gulch and Magpie Gulch north of Canyon Ferry, as firefighters continue efforts to contain the rapidly-growing Horse Gulch Fire. The human-caused fire was first reported Tuesday afternoon, and tripled in size yesterday, from 200 acres to 600 acres, and is reported to be very active today, with heavy timber fuels, and hot, dry, windy weather. At noon today (Thursday, July 11) it was listed at 2000 acres. Firefighters are concentrating their efforts on the southern flank of the fire, where homes are at risk.

Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest officials report that the majority of fire growth occurred to the south and east yesterday afternoon and into the early morning hours.  Hand crews and heavy equipment operators successfully completed fire line from JimTown Road east out to Little Hellgate Gulch, north of Canyon Ferry. Today, efforts are focused on limiting fire spread to the south and west to keep the fire from moving onto private lands. Firefighters, heavy equipment operators, and multiple types of aircraft will work to secure previously constructed fire line on the southern portion of the fire, north of Canyon Ferry. Crews assigned to the western side of the fire will construct and reinforce control lines near JimTown Road with efforts continuing north to tie into the northwestern point of the fire.

Areas under evacuation orders include Canyon Ferry Road - from JimTown Road to the Broadwater County line; and all roads north and south of Canyon Ferry Road between JimTown Road to the Broadwater County line. Canyon Ferry Rd is closed at Canyon Ferry Village to the Broadwater County line.

One of the three firefighting aircraft assigned to the fire crashed on Wednesday while trying scoop water from Hauser Lake. Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton said the crash occurred about 12:15pm, killing the pilot, a 45-year-old woman. According to Dutton, the plane was a single engine air tanker contracted for the Forest Service, and only the pilot was on board. Her name has not been released, pending notification of next of kin.

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LOLO - Meanwhile, the Lolo National forest reports that the Plant Fire, which was first reported on Sunday in the Plant Creek Drainage, has been contained at 93 acres. "Containment" means that firefighters have cleared enough fireline that, combined with natural barriers, the fire is unlikely to spread any further. According to a post on the forest's Facebook page, firefighters will remain on site mopping up interior hot spots that may puff up over the next several days.