Single Publication

Size: 85 acres Containment: 100%

Personnel: 29

CURRENT STATUS

Trail Ridge- Yesterday most of the fire’s growth was on the north flank of the fire with a large portion of that growth in Tolan Creek Drainage. Yesterday morning it was reported that the fire was slowing backing into Tolan Creek Drainage, later in the day with the low humidity and south winds the fire activity increased within this area and is nearing the base of Hilltop Mountain. As the fire nears the identified Action Point fire personnel are taking steps to activate the plan established for the northern portion of the fire. Action Points were put in place as part of the Management Plan to identify the most successful positions for fire fighters to engage the fire. Crews have been hard at work preparing indirect line with the possibility of the fire moving in this direction. The plan identifies a back burning operation, using the indirect lines constructed over the last week. If a back burn becomes necessary operations would begin near the Mink Creek Road and move west toward Reimel Creek Road to help secure the fire perimeter and protect the values along the East Fork Drainage from current fire spread. Back burning can be a helpful tool to slow the spread of fire and gives fire personnel the opportunity to manipulate fire behavior in a way that is favorable to fire fighter safety and management of the fire.

Crews continue to move east from Mink Creek Road to the 2017 Myers Fire burn scar with construction of indirect line and road prep to be prepared for future fire growth if the fire continues to move to the northeast.

Continuing forward if the fire does progress past the Tolan Creek Drainage and begins to threaten a breach along our indirect line paralleling the East Fork Road to the south the Sheriff’s Department along with Fire Managers would implement the ‘Warning’ stage of the Evacuation Plan. Initiating a back burn operation does not constitute a breach along the indirect line and does not mean the ‘Warning’ stage will go into effect. For more information on the Ravalli County Evacuation Plan visit the Ravalli County Sheriff’s website at https://ravalli.us/622/Evacuation-Guidelines or the Sheriff’s app.

On the southern flank of the fire crews are continuing with road prep to use as indirect line if the fire reaches the Action Point along the southern portion of the fire as the fire continues to move south toward the 2007 Rat Creek and 2021 Trail Creek Burn Areas.

FIRE WEATHER AND BEHAVIOR

The weather for today will the warmest and driest of the week with a moderate south wind for most of the day and increasing slightly in the afternoon. The confidence for moisture increases tomorrow and the very dry conditions are expected to change as moisture returns to the area as soon as tomorrow, with the best chance for a wetting rain predicted on Thursday.