Single Publication

Hog Trough Fire

July 25, 2022 Update

Acres: 584 acres

Start Date: July 17th, 2022

Cause: Lightning

Origin Location: 18 miles East of Hamilton

Total Personnel: 116

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

Resources Assigned: 3 Hand Crews, 4 Helicopters, 4 Engines, 1 Skid Engine

A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area. Please do not fly drones near wildfires. Unauthorized drones were spotted near the fire over the weekend. Use of unauthorized unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, in a fire area endangers the lives of pilots and firefighters. 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 584 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: Heavy equipment (feller bunchers and excavators) will continue work along FS 75 Road and FS 5071 by removing vegetation to prepare these roads as potential containment lines. Hand crews will be preparing Skalkaho Creek-Jerry Lake Trail #503 and Trail #8131 as potential containment line. Helicopters will provide water bucket drops over the fire, focusing on the southwest corner of the fire. 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: Fire activity is expected to increase around 1:00 PM today with single and group tree torching. The fire will continue to creep and smolder east towards the direction of the 2005 Signal Rock fire. Due to significant safety threats and inaccessibility, firefighters currently are not directly engaging the fire on the ground.

Fire Danger: Fire Danger will rise to Very High today on the Bitterroot National Forest. Fire Danger is High on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. No fire restrictions in place currently. For current fire restrictions, visit mtfireinfo.org.

Closures: 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.