Single Publication

Location: 13 miles west of Grant, MT      Start Date: August 23, 2024

Cause: Undetermined                       Size: 3415 acres             Containment: 40%

CURRENT STATUS + PLANNED ACTIONS:

Yesterday, crews focused on continuing to locate and extinguish pockets of heat remaining in the fire area. Areas of concerns are still concentrated in the northwest corner where fuels are smoldering in patches of trees close to control lines. Areas like this where there is dead timber on the forest floor, require skilled sawyers to cut up and untangle branches and logs to expose heat below for crews to mop-up. 

Today, weather permitting, personnel have planned to strategically ignite a section of the fire to create a line of burned fuel, above a patch of timber that has a high concentration of dead or weakened trees that fall easily, these are referred to as “snags”. By reinforcing a line above the snag patch, it will allow fire within the perimeter to burn a lot of the dead debris, while minimizing firefighter exposure to falling trees. The intent of this burnout is to get enough heat to successfully burn ground debris without torching live trees.

Light smoke is expected to be seen throughout the fire area, with an increase this afternoon during burnout operations. 

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:

Overnight, the fire experienced close to freezing temperatures and received a shot of precipitation. 

Today, cooler temperatures in the high 50’s are forecasted and winds are predicted to range from 14-20 mph out of the west.

Clear conditions with low relative humidity values are expected through Thursday.

EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES

All evacuation orders have been lifted. The public has also been asked to remain clear of the area to avoid impeding firefighting activity. 

To learn more about wildfire in Montana and how you can better prepare you, your family, and your home, visit MTFIREINFO.ORG