Single Publication

Northern Rockies Team 5, Incident Commander Joe Sampson

Location: Three miles west of Stevensville, Montana

Start Date: 8/23/2024

Cause: Lightning

Size: 3,204

Completion: 80%

Total Personnel: 241

Current Status 

Firefighters work alongside resource advisors from the Bitterroot National Forest to plan and implement suppression repair efforts using hand tools to pull back berms where crews constructed firelines. Excavators continue to pull back berms on the northern and southern equipment lines constructed during initial attack. Wood chippers will begin breaking down large branches and tree trunks into smaller pieces, scattering available fuels alongside the constructed fireline.

Area closures surrounding the fire area are still in effect. These closures are necessary to protect the safety and welfare of the public and provide for safe firefighting operations and access. Fire managers are working in conjunction with Bitterroot National Forest officials to assess the need and potential boundary changes, shrinking the affected area within the closure. 

Weather and Fire Behavior 

Temperatures in the valley will reach the high 60s with mostly cloudy skies. Minimum relative humidity will be in the lows 40s with northeast winds sustained around 10 mph, gusting to 20 to 25 mph. Isolated pre-frontal rain showers may occur in the evening. Another system of moisture is expected to move into the region by Monday afternoon.

Fire behavior will be creeping and smoldering through the weekend, primarily in stump holes, large logs, and accumulated fuels. Flare-ups with smoke columns may be visible due to wind and solar radiation.

RESTRICTIONS and CLOSURES  

- Area closures are in effect from North Fork Sweeney Creek to Sweathouse Creek. More information on Bitterroot National Forest area closures can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bitterroot/alerts-notices 

- The Bitterroot National Forest is currently in Stage I Fire restrictions within the Anaconda Pintler Wilderness.