Single Publication

CURRENT STATUS
Today, on the southwest flank of the Hog Trough Fire, the Bitterroot Hot Shot crew will continue to work down the Weasel Creek Trail, clearing out woody debris to widen the fireline and prepare it for use as primary containment line to keep the fire from moving north toward the Skalkaho Highway corridor. A Type 2 hand crew will also resume brushing and snagging the 1135 Road, to the north of Weasel Creek, coming in after a dozer widened the road from the junction of the 75 Road to the fire’s edge. When the road improvements are completed, this road will serve as contingency fireline and will be passable for Type 6 fire engine to access the fire’s edge. 

To the southeast yesterday, the Helena Hot Shot crew successfully completed firing operations, tying the Signal Rock Trail into the 5071 Road. Today, as long as fuels are receptive and the weather is conducive, they will burn off of the 5071 Road from were Signal Rock Trail ties in and extend south along some improved dozer line. Firing operations are focused on widening fuel breaks in a safe and controlled manner in order to keep the fire to the south where fuels are much less densely distributed due to previous burns. Fire crews have contained the fire along the northwest and northern edge and put it in patrol status. 

The Fuse Lake Fire is now fully contained. Yesterday, all supplies were slung out and the last remaining Type 2 fire crew hiked out safely. With the Fuse Lake Fire is now in patrol status, resources will be reassigned to the Hog Trough Fire today. This will be the final update on the Fuse Lake Fire. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Easterly winds will increase through the day. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are likely today with gusty, erratic winds and heavy rain directly under the core of the storms, but generally dry in other areas. Higher humidity values and cooler temperatures kept fire behavior minimal yesterday, primarily creeping and smoldering. Today, minimal fire behavior is expected with ongoing weather trends.

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.