Single Publication

CURRENT STATUS
The south and southeast areas of the fire saw limited growth on the Hog Trough Fire yesterday. Today, on the southwest flank, crews will complete improving the Weasel Creek Trail and tie it in with the 75 Road. A dozer will begin improving the 1135 Road, north of the Weasel Creek Trail, as a contingency line to stop fire from spreading to the north. On the east flank, crews used previously installed hose lays to mop up pockets of heat in the Signal Rock area. Crews will continue to the improve the 8131 Trail in preparation to tie into the 7051 Road and halt the possibility of fire movement to the north there as well. The Helena and Bitterroot Hotshot crews will assess the Weasel Creek Trail and the 8131 Trail areas for potential firing operations in order to widen the fire break. With significant lightning recently, ground and air resources will be available to respond to new fire starts nearby.
Fire behavior on the Fuse Lake Fire is minimal with little to no perimeter growth. Today, crews will utilize hand tools, hose lays and water tanks to in order to expose and extinguish remaining hot spots near the fire perimeter. Crews will also search for and suppress any spot fires. Helicopters will fly supply missions and fill water tanks with buckets. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Showers and thunderstorms will develop near the fire Sunday afternoon, however there is a very low chance of wetting rain. Humidity will improve and thermal belts will weaken. Evening thunderstorms may produce lightning outside of the wet core and new fire ignitions are likely to occur. Fire behavior on the Fuse Lake Fire is minimal with smoldering. The Hog Trough Fire will see moderate fire behavior with single and group tree torching and short-range spotting 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.