The Horse Gulch Fire burning south of York on the Lewis and Clark National Forest grew to more than 11,600 acres as of noon Saturday, according to officials. The blaze remains at 0% containment.
Fire managers announced a public meeting set for 6 p.m. Saturday at East Helena High School. The meeting was livestreamed on the Horse Gulch Fire Facebook page.
The Northern Rockies Team 2 Complex Incident Management Team took command of the fire Saturday morning, according to wildfire update site InciWeb. Fire managers report the fire is primarily growing to the north and east into higher elevations. They’re prioritizing fire lines to the south and west.
Evacuation orders remain in place for the following areas:
- Canyon Ferry Road from Jimtown Road to the Broadwater County line
- All roads north and south of Canyon Ferry Road between Jimtown Road to the Broadwater County line
- Cave Gulch to Magpie Gulch north of Canyon Ferry Road
- Jimtown Road to York, and York Road North to Vigilante Campground
The Red Cross has established a temporary evacuation center at Our Redeemer’s Lutheran Church in Helena.
Fire conditions Saturday were severe, with gusty winds and low humidity prompting red flag warnings across Central and Southwest Montana.
Managers on the Horse Gulch Fire are seeking people who may have been in the Horse Gulch area on July 9 to help their investigation into the source of the blaze. They ask people who may have taken photos of the fire on that day or sighted vehicles in the area to send information to SM.HS.HLC_Tip_Line@usda.gov.
Monitor the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for current evacuation information.
