Montana Wildfire Roundup For July 28, 2017

Updated 2:10 pm

PUBLIC MEETING

Agency administrators, Fire Management Officers, and Public Information Officers will be providing fire information updates and will be available to answer questions pertaining to the Sunrise and Burdette Fires.

Saturday July 29, 2017, 7:00 to 8:00 P.M. Lozeau Lodge Pavilion

On the 3,700 acre Sunrise Fire, which is at five percent containment, the threat of thunderstorms is the main concern for the next few days. Gusty and erratic winds could drive fire spread in any direction. Next week a continued high pressure system will bring hot and dry conditions for the extended forecast. No significant precipitation is forecasted.

Fire growth expected to continue east with the onset of a passing cold front. Fire activity is expected to increase in the afternoon with hot and dry conditions with lower relative humidity and increasing winds.

Crews have been assigned to night shift for potential burnout operations ahead of the fire front. Day shift resources continue to assess opportunities for direct or indirect line on the northern side of the fire and construct dozer line around structures in Sunrise Creek subdivision. Aviation will continue to be used to help confine the fire in Meadow Creek drainage. Improve structure protection in Quartz Creek, Quartz Flat and Sunrise Creek.

The most recent update on the Burdette Fire, dated 7/27 just after noon, says it is 580 acres and 10 percent contained.

Click here to watch the video of the community meeting on theLolo Peak Fire yesterday.

Yesterday, managers on the Lolo Peak Fire say it was most active along the northwest corner, below and south of Lantern Ridge within the Falls Creek and Middle Creek drainages. Taking advantage of the natural fuel break along the Bitterroot divide, aerial ignition continued west of the divide to widen this buffer from the main fire. Heavy equipment and crews improved and extended the primary control lines south of Highway 12 and west of Highway 93. Once completed, this line will provide firefighters a secure location to work from when the fire move toward the valleys.

Today, a helicopter will insert fire fighters to extinguish the 3 spot fires around the Duffy Lake area. Heavy equipment and hand crews will continue constructing and improving the primary control line from Mormon Peak Road (NFSR 612) south along the Highway 93 corridor toward Bass Creek Road. The structure assessment group will work south along the Highway 93 corridor. The public is reminded that a temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire area. Firefighters are also opening roads closer to the fire’s edge to look for additional locations for control lines. 

The Saphire Complex of fires southeast of Missoula have now burned a combined 9, 072 acres.

The largest is the Goat Creek Fire, at approximately 4,541 acres. It is five percent contained. The fire progressed toward the east with little substantial growth, yesterday, fire managers say.

They report construction and improvement of indirect fireline was completed by dozers and handcrews yesterday, and continues along ridgelines from Babcock Mountain beyond Burnt Mountain southeast toward Strawberry Mountain. A burning operation started yesterday around 3:00 pm above Brewster Creek to reduce fuels and even the fire's edge to better control the fire's advance.

The Little Hogback is approximately 4,416 acres and zero percent contained. Fire activity on the fire continues to be primarily on the northeast flank of the fire. Heavy equipment constructed and improved old fuelbreaks yesterday.