Single Publication

CURRENT STATUS The Hog Trough Fire was active yesterday, once again producing smoke visible from the Bitterroot Valley. Fire line is holding strong on the west flank, however there was some spread on the south flank of the fire, particularly in the Signal Rock area to the southeast. Interior pockets of fuel burned yesterday contributing to the smoke seen in the valley. To the southwest, the fire is continuing to slowly back down the Weasel Creek drainage. Crews will work on improving and securing line in this area in order to turn the corner and concentrate on building line along the south flank. Fire personnel are continuing to monitor the north flank of the fire, where fire lines are holding and fire activity is minimal. Yesterday on the Fuse Lake Fire, crews built handline and anchored the fire along the southern flank. Today, crews will look for opportunities to safely engage the fire to build and improve handline. Aerial resources will be utilized to transport resources and supplies in and provide bucket drops to cool the fire, minimize spread, and extinguish pockets of heat. Crews will lay hose and install water tanks to be used for mop up. This fire has a full containment strategy focused on reducing fire impacts to private lands, the Skalkaho Highway corridor and Rock Creek drainage.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR Hot and dry weather will persist in the short-term under the dominant ridge of high pressure. Light northeast winds will occur later today and into Friday. Poor overnight relative humidity recoveries will also contribute to fuel dryness. Look for a change in weather this weekend as a chance for thunderstorms moves into the area. Fire behavior on the Fuse Lake Fire will include creeping, smoldering, single and group tree torching and short-range spotting. The Hog Trough Fire is seeing single tree torching along the south flank and minimal fire behavior with creeping and smoldering in other areas.
 
 CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES

Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38) is open. 

Road Closures:

• Skalkaho Road (Forest Service road 75) and  Forest Service road 711 are both closed at the junction of Skalkaho Highway, including the ancillary roads leading from the 711 Road. 
• Skalkaho Road is open past Mile Marker 5 (Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trailhead #503).
• Forest Service roads 5070 and 5071 are closed.

Trail Closures:

• Railroad Creek, National Forest System Trail #77 to Trail #313 at the gate. 
• Weasel Creek, National Forest System Trail #156 from milepost 0.00 at its junction with NFSR #461.
• A section of the Bitterroot Rock Creek Divide Trail #313, National Forest System Trail #313 where it intersects Trail #77 Railroad Creek, Weasel Creek Trail #156. 
• Skalkaho Creek – Jerry Lake Trail #503, National Forest System Trail #503. 

Fire Restrictions: Stage 2 Fire Restrictions on all Bitterroot National Forest lands in Montana. See mtfireinfo.org for more specific restrictions information.