Single Publication

Hog Trough Fire
July 24, 2022 Update

Acres: 582 acres

Start Date: July 17th, 2022

Cause: Lightning

Origin Location: 18 miles East of Hamilton

Percent Contained: 9%

Jurisdiction: Bitterroot National Forest and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest

Website:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8258/

Fire Information: 406-880-8090 daily from 8am-8pm

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Please do not fly drones near wildfires. Use of unauthorized unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, in a fire area endangers the lives of pilots and firefighters. Never fly unmanned aircraft over or near a fire. Know before you fly.

Forest Service 75 (Skalkaho-Rye) Road is currently closed from the junction of Highway 38 (Skalkaho Highway) to Mile Marker 5 near Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trailhead #503. Forest Service 5070 (Sand Basin Creek) Road is currently closed. This is to ensure firefighter and public safety due to the presence of heavy equipment removing vegetation along these roads.

Summary: The Hog Trough fire is burning at 582 acres, an increase of 25 acres. It is burning in the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area (WSA) on both the Bitterroot and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests. No structures are currently threatened and no evacuations are in place.

Planned Actions: Today, heavy equipment (feller buncher) and hand crews will continue work along FS 75 Road and FS 5071 by removing vegetation to prepare roads as potential containment lines. Aerial observations will take place to provide critical fire behavior information for firefighters on the ground. Fire manager’s objective is to keep the fire south of Highway 38, east of FS 75 Road, and west of FS 5071 Road.

Fire Activity: Today, fire activity is expected increase throughout the day. The fire will continue to spread east towards the direction of the 2005 Signal Rock fire. The fire is running parallel with the wind and is making short, uphill runs. Due to significant safety threats and inaccessibility, firefighters currently are not directly engaging the fire on the ground.

Closures: To aid in public and firefighter safety, the Bitterroot National Forest and Beaverhead-Deerlodge issued a Hog Trough Fire Area Closure. See Inciweb for specific closure information.

·       FS Road 75, From Junction 38 and FS 75 to Mile Marker 5 (Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trailhead #503).

·       FS Road 5070 Closed.

·       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