Single Publication

September 19, 2024

The fires saw significant precipitation over the last 48 hours and fuels are approaching “moisture of extinction,” meaning larger fuels are saturated to the point they no longer support burning or combustion. 

Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38) remains closed from milepost 9.0 to 28.2. Visit Montana DOT for the most updated information: https://www.mdt.mt.gov/

The Sharrott Creek Fire Area and Trail Closure has been modified, decreasing in size, effective yesterday.

The Johnson Fire Area and the Railroad-Daly Fire Area Closures will be terminated on Friday, September 20, 2024, at 8 a.m.

Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 5 will transfer command of all fires back to the Bitterroot National Forest on September 20, 2024 at 6 p.m.

Current Status 

Johnson (3 miles south of Springer Memorial Community, in the East Fork)

Cause: Lightning

Size: 6,687

Completion: 59%

Personnel: 26

Firefighters continue to make progress implementing suppression repair efforts using excavators and hand tools to pull back berms on constructed firelines. The excavators are working both the west and north flanks of the fire.

Sharrott (3 miles west of Stevensville)

Cause: Lightning

Size: 3,204

Completion: 83%

Personnel: 228

Excavators continue to pull back berms on constructed firelines on the northern and southern perimeters, working downhill. Chippers continue to break down large limbs and tree trunks into small pieces, removing heavy fuel loads.

Daly and Railroad (Railroad and Skalkaho Creeks confluence, 26 miles southeast of Hamilton)

Cause: Undetermined

Size: 6,813 (Daly), 1,007 (Railroad)

Completion: 59% (Daly), 35% (Railroad)

Personnel: 21

Minimal fire activity is present, with no expected spread on the Railroad and Daly Fires. Crews will continue with hazard mitigation along the Skalkaho Highway (Highway 38), Forest Service Road 711, and associated spur roads. 

Weather and Fire Behavior 

High pressure on Thursday will bring in slightly drier and milder conditions over the next few days. Temperatures will rise into the low 70s in the valley and mid 60s at higher elevations. Minimum relative humidity will be in the 35-50% range. Southwest winds will be sustained around 12 mph with gusts up to 25 mph. Fire behavior will be isolated smoldering, primarily in stump holes. 

Closures

The Sharrott Creek Fire Area and Trail Closure has been modified, decreasing in size. Effective on September 18, 2024 at 0800 all NFS Lands on the Stevensville Ranger District of the Bitterroot National Forest in the area bounded by NFS road #738 at its junction with the Forest boundary; west along NFS road #738 to NFS trail #11; continue west along NFS trail #11; then North following the ridge to Stormy Pass; then north following the Forest boundary to the head of Kootenai Creek; then north and east along Kootenai Creek to the Forest boundary; then south following the Forest boundary to its junction with NFS road #738. The new closure includes St. Mary Peak, National Forest System Trail #116 from milepost 0.00 at its junction with NFSR #739 to its terminus.

The Johnson Fire Area and the Railroad-Daly Fire Area Closures will be terminated on Friday, September 20, 2024, at 8 a.m..

More information on Bitterroot National Forest area closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bitterroot/alerts-notices