Single Publication

Incident Commander:  Bill Waln, Incident Commander  

Location:  10 miles southwest of Wise River, MT 

Start Date: 7/25/2024  

Cause: Undetermined 

Size: 4,166 acres  

Containment: 22% 

Resources on Site: 1 hotshot crew; 2 Type 2 hand crews; 10 engines; 1 skidgens; 1 dozer 

Total Personnel:  288 

KEY MESSAGES:  

Containment of the Grouse Fire has increased to 22 percent as firefighters continue to make progress along the southern edge of the fire. Most of the fire is burning in inaccessible, very steep, and rocky terrain that was hit hard by the mountain pine beetle several years ago. Many of the beetle-killed trees have fallen, but many remain standing, weakened, and are prone to falling over during wind events. These hazards are preventing firefighters from taking direct action on the fire perimeter. Firefighters have been creating fuel breaks along trails and along the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway. These indirect control lines will assist firefighters to prevent the fire from impacting critical values at risk. Other natural features like scree fields and rocky outcroppings create barriers to the spread of fire. This fire will continue to burn throughout the summer and into the fall until the first major snow fall.  

Current Status/PLANNED ACTIONS:   

Today, crews will be patrolling and monitoring the containment line on the Pettengill Road. The fire module spiking out near the Reservoir Creek Drainage will continue with cleanup work and monitoring the fire’s perimeter for any hot spots or activity. Watch for firefighters, equipment, and large vehicles as they continue to load and haul debris from the shaded fuel break work along the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway.  

The structure group is working to complete the structure assessment in the Wise River community and along the Hwy 43 corridor. They will remove protective equipment (pumps, sprinklers, hoses) placed around structures in sections, package it up on pallets, and label each with layout instructions. This will make it easy to deploy each package to the appropriate location if needed in the future. 

An infrared flight was flown over the fire last night to locate heat signatures and provide an accurate mapping of the fire. This resulted in a slight increase in acres. 

Weather and Fire Behavior: 

West winds at 4-8 mph in the lower elevations, southwest winds at 10-15 mph with gusts up to 23 mph on the ridgetops. There is a 60 percent chance for thunderstorms between 1:00-3:00 p.m., bringing lightning and wind gusts up to 40 mph and 50 percent chance of rain. 

CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS: 

The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest has issued an Area/Road/Trail Closure (Closure #01-02-03-24-05) effective July 31, 2024. This Order is for public and firefighter safety during fire suppression efforts of the Grouse Fire. Closure information and maps are posted on the Forests’ website and the fire’s Inciweb page as they are in place. https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtbdf-grouse. 

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. 

The Forest is in Stage 1 Fire Restrictions. Campfires are allowed only in a permanent metal fire grate/ring provided by the Forest Service in a designated, developed recreation site. Smoking is restricted to vehicles, in buildings, or in an area clear of flammable materials. Devices with an on/off switch that use LPG fuels are allowed in an area clear of flammable materials within three feet of the device.