Incident Publication

Incident Commander: Richard Griffin (Type 3 IC) and Kyle Errecart (Type 3 IC Trainee)
Location: 15 miles northeast of Wisdom, MT in the Sawlog Creek drainage
Start Date: 05/01/2025
Cause: Undetermined – under investigation
Size: 1,500 acres (estimate from a helicopter mapping operation)
Resources Assigned: 1 crew; 1 engine; 1 light helicopter
Total Personnel: 65

CURRENT STATUS/PLANNED ACTIONS: 
Fire behavior moderated yesterday due to increased cloud cover, considerably cooler temperatures, and light precipitation. Fire behavior observations included smoldering, creeping, and some single tree torching. Even with the additional precipitation overnight, the fire continues to smolder in the heavy fuels on the ground; such fire behavior is expected to pick up as warmer and drier weather returns mid-week.

On the southern edge of the fire, firefighters were able to secure the line from the Toomey Creek Road to the river. The fire remains active in the dead and downed fuel component in that area. On the western edge, engines continued to patrol, providing structure assessments, a structure protection plan, and a river access plan. On the northern flank and working to the east, the smokejumpers scouted for opportunities to construct helispots and potential control lines; they will continue to construct sawline and “mop-up” areas of heat in the more inaccessible areas.

A helicopter provided water bucket drops, assisting the ground crews yesterday. Two helicopters were forced to relocate to Butte for safe cover, given the afternoon weather conditions. Two helicopters will be available today, pending weather conditions.

Additional precipitation, including fresh snow, fell overnight. Though helpful with moderating fire behavior, the precipitation will likely complicate access to the fire area. Muddy road conditions, requiring UTVs for access, are not conducive to travel by standard vehicles. Firefighters will be conscious of limiting impacts to roadbeds and natural resources.

Firefighters will continue with the same strategy and operations today. Fire managers are looking to increase the amount of access to the fire by utilizing boats across the high-water conditions.

Additional resources, including a UAS (unmanned aircraft system), have been ordered and will be arriving over the next couple of days. An Incident Command Post will be established at the Wisdom Airport early this week. 
Conditions, including dry fuels and gusty winds, precluded firefighters from implementing any strategic firing operations as a firefighting tactic. The fire activity, including most of the acreage gain during the burning period on May 3rd, was driven by the dry fuels and gusty winds that aligned with the topographic features of the drainage.

Fire investigators will continue their search to determine the fire's cause. Neither the Forest Service nor the BLM had any prescribed fires (commonly referred to as “controlled burns”) in that area.

WEATHER, FUELS, AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
Today’s weather should be similar to yesterday, with temperatures 5-10 degrees cooler and a 40% chance of additional precipitation. Today will be the last day for any kind of measurable precipitation for the next week or so. The forecast for mid-week calls for a warming and drying trend as a ridge builds over the fire area. Temperatures will likely approach the upper 70s to low 80s by Friday.

The fire is burning mainly in sagebrush and Lodgepole pine timber. The north-facing slopes in the area consist of a high “dead and downed” fuel component in a mixed conifer forest, and numerous “snags” or hazard trees are present. This fuel combination poses additional hazards for firefighters and affects on-the-ground progress. Ensuring firefighter safety and protecting life and property are of the utmost importance during any incident.

The fire has exhibited moderate to extreme fire behavior, with 3 to 5-foot flame lengths in the sagebrush and isolated torching, group torching, and crown runs through the tops of the trees in the timbered areas. When winds have aligned with the orientation of drainages, fire behavior has been extreme. Fuel conditions, during this time of year (pre-green up), are extremely dry.

The fire footprint from the 2021 Alder Fire is located to the east, and the fire footprint from the 2021 Christensen Fire lies to the south.

CLOSURES:
For public safety reasons, the Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for the Sawlog dispersed camping area, located at the Big Hole River ford site. Specific closure language can be viewed on the Sawlog Fire Inciweb page, Closures tab.

NEW BERN, N.C., May 5, 2025 – Containment efforts on the Black Swamp Fire have remained, with the fire holding at 950 acres and 60% containment. The USDA Forest Service is being supported with personnel from North Carolina Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission and the National Park Service to help manage the Black Swamp Fire in Croatan National Forest. 

Typically, this area of the forest receives about 32 inches of rain over a 6 month period. However, only 16 inches have fallen during this span of time. The Black Swamp Fire has not benefited from the limited rainfall, and drying conditions have increased fire behavior. The fire recently received 0.68 inches of rain yesterday, which helped refill nearby water systems used for suppression. Forecasted scattered showers this week will also aid in firefighting operations. Fire crews have been preparing the area for continued suppression, including building earthen dams and improving pump systems to deliver additional water to the fire line. Yesterday, crews were able to rehab heavy equipment and get ready for the next operational period. 

Closures remain in effect for Black Swamp Road, the Black Swamp OHV area, Great Lake Boating Access Area and Sheep Ridge Wilderness Area, as well as portions of Great Lake Road, Seaborn Road and Holston Hunter Road. 

Smoke from the fire can cause limited visibility and may impact local air quality. Please drive slowly and use caution on roads where smoke may be settling. Check for air quality alerts at https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/ or https://fire.airnow.gov.

For the latest wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at U.S. Forest Service - National Forests in North Carolina or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina

Active until 1:00 a.m. this morning, the Sawlog fire exhibited moderate fire behavior today with smoldering, creeping, and single tree torching. Increased cloud cover and considerably cooler temperatures were contributing factors; the fire area received some precipitation in the form of a light drizzle for about an hour. 

Engines from the Grasshopper VFD patrolled near the private structures throughout the night. Today, smokejumpers and other firefighters secured line from the Toomey Creek Road to the river on the south flank. A helicopter assisted the ground crews with water bucket drops; two helicopters were forced to relocate to Butte due to the weather conditions. 

The estimate of fire size remains at 1,500 acres with the majority of that growth during the burning period on May 3rd. 

Additional resources will be arriving over the next couple of days, with an Incident Command Post to be established at the Wisdom Airport early this week.

Incident Commander: Richard Griffin (Type 3 IC)
Location: 15 miles northeast of Wisdom, MT in the Sawlog Creek drainage
Start Date: 05/01/2025
Cause: Undetermined – under investigation
Size: 1,500 acres (estimate from a helicopter mapping operation)
Resources on Site: 1 crew; 1 engine; 1 light helicopter. Additional resources enroute.
Total Personnel: 51+
 

CURRENT STATUS/PLANNED ACTIONS: 
Conditions, including dry fuels and gusty winds, precluded firefighters from implementing any strategic firing operations yesterday. The fire activity was driven by the dry fuels and gusty winds that aligned with the topographic features of the drainage.

Firefighters experienced extreme fire behavior, especially in the timbered areas with a heavy concentration of "dead and downed" trees. The fire progressed east across Sawlog Creek, toward the fire footprint from the 2021 Alder Fire. The fire footprint from the 2021 Christensen Fire lies to the south. The crews, assisted by the helicopter, directly attacked the fire until incoming weather prompted them to disengage in the afternoon hours. Winds up to 40-50 mph associated with passing thunderstorms resulted in gusty outflow winds and downdrafts, which present dangerous conditions for firefighters. Zero precipitation fell over the fire area. Fire officials were unable to get updated acreage from an overnight infrared (IR) flight. However, mapping operations from the helicopter yesterday afternoon estimated the fire at 1,500 acres.

Today’s strategy is to secure the edges, mopping up hot spots and extinguishing areas of residual heat, especially on the west side of the river. As a precautionary measure, firefighters with engines will be providing structure protection measures for private structures on the western flank along the Big Hole River. A load of 8 smokejumpers will arrive today; given the limited access, the jumpers are the best resource to get into various inaccessible areas of the fire. They will assist in scouting opportunities for control and containment features to limit impacts to the critical values at risk (including the private land and infrastructure).
Fire investigators will continue their search to determine the fire's cause. Neither the Forest Service nor the BLM had any prescribed fires (commonly referred to as “controlled burns”) in that area.

WEATHER, FUELS, AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
Today’s weather should be cooler, moderating fire behavior and presenting firefighters with better conditions.

The fire is burning mainly in sagebrush and Lodgepole pine timber. The north-facing slopes in the area consist of a high “dead and downed” fuel component in a mixed conifer forest, and numerous “snags” or hazard trees are present. This fuel combination poses additional hazards for firefighters and affects on-the-ground progress. Ensuring firefighter safety and protecting life and property are of the utmost importance during any incident.

The fire has exhibited moderate to extreme fire behavior, with 3 to 5-foot flame lengths in the sagebrush and isolated torching, group torching, and crown runs through the tops of the trees in the timbered areas. When winds have aligned with the orientation of drainages, fire behavior has been extreme. Fuel conditions, during this time of year (pre-green up), are extremely dry.

CLOSURES:
For public safety reasons, the Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for the Sawlog dispersed camping area, located at the Big Hole River ford site. Specific closure language can be viewed on the Sawlog Fire Inciweb page, Closures tab.

NEW BERN, N.C., May 4, 2025 –The USDA Forest Service has enlisted support from North Carolina Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission and the National Park Service to help manage the Black Swamp Fire in Croatan National Forest. 

Thanks to coordinated efforts, the fire remains at 950 acres with 60 percent containment. More than 80 personnel are now assigned to the incident. 

The Black Swamp Fire is burning on a southeastern pocosin- a boggy wetland full of woody shrubs and peat rich soil. Peat is a buildup of organic materials compressed over thousands of years. When it burns, it can smolder underground for long periods without visible flames, only to flare up when it reaches pockets of vegetation. Unlike most wildfires, peat fires often require extensive soaking to be fully extinguished. 

Yesterday, crews did just that as they continued to flood the area saturating deep layers of peat. Firefighters closely monitored flare ups and reinforced containment lines to ensure the fire stays within control lines.  Suppression efforts included helicopter water drops, sprinklers, earthen dams and pumps. Rain showers today and throughout the week are also expected to aid in drenching smoldering soil. 

Closures remain in effect for Black Swamp Road, the Black Swamp OHV area, Great Lake Boating Access Area and Sheep Ridge Wilderness Area, as well as portions of Great Lake Road, Seaborn Road and Holston Hunter Road. 

Smoke from the fire can cause limited visibility and may impact local air quality. Please drive slowly and use caution on roads where smoke may be settling. Check for air quality alerts at https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/ or https://fire.airnow.gov.

For the latest wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at U.S. Forest Service - National Forests in North Carolina or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina

For public safety reasons, the Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for the Sawlog dispersed camping area, located at the Big Hole River ford site. 

Conditions, including dry fuels and gusty winds, precluded firefighters from implementing any strategic firing operations today.

Firefighters experienced extreme fire behavior, especially in the timbered areas with a heavy concentration of "dead and downed" trees. The fire progressed east across Sawlog Creek, toward the fire footprint from the 2021 Alder Fire. The fire footprint from the 2021 Christensen Fire lies to the south.

The crews, assisted by the helicopter, attacked the fire until incoming weather prompted them to disengage late this afternoon. Winds up to 40-50 mph associated with passing thunderstorms resulted in gusty outflow winds and downdrafts, which present dangerous conditions for firefighters. Zero precipitation fell over the fire area.

Fire officials characterized the fire behavior as "very uncommon" for this time of year. Given these extremely dry fuel conditions, the potential for fire growth is high.  Today's acreage growth could not be determined exactly, as firefighters were unable to see the main fire. An infrared mapping flight has been ordered for the overnight hours.

‼ For public safety reasons, the Bureau of Land Management has issued a temporary closure for the Sawlog dispersed camping area, located at the Big Hole River ford site.

Fire investigators will continue their search to determine the fire's cause.

Incident Commander: Alex Graham (Type 4 IC)
Location: 15 miles northeast of Wisdom, MT in the Sawlog Creek drainage
Start Date: 05/01/2025
Cause: Undetermined – under investigation
Size: 383 acres (overnight infrared flight on May 2nd)
Resources on Site: 1 crew; 1 engine; 1 light helicopter
Total Personnel: 51

CURRENT STATUS/PLANNED ACTIONS: 
A 20-person crew will join the 31 firefighters on site today. Utilizing the helicopter for water bucket drops and strategic firing operations, today's efforts will concentrate on the area along Sawlog Creek Road extending north to the Big Hole River (eastern edge of the fire) and the area along Toomey Creek north to the Big Hole River (western edge of the fire).  

Strategic firing operations are utilized so crews can burn the fuels between the uncontrolled/active fire edge and the control line along the roads and natural barriers. This fire suppression tactic is an effective method of reducing the available fuels ahead of an active fire edge, while decreasing the potential for negative impacts to values and resource damage that result when high-severity fire occurs on timbered slopes.  

The fire footprint from the Christensen Fire of 2021 lies to the south.

There is a heavy dead and downed fuel component on the north-facing ridges in the fire area. Fire behavior yesterday consisted of up to 5-foot flame lengths in the sagebrush and crown runs in the timber.

Fire investigators will continue their search to determine the fire's cause.

The fire was mapped at approximately 475 acres late yesterday afternoon, burning both Forest Service and BLM lands. An overnight infrared flight mapped the fire area at 383 acres.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR:
The fire is burning mainly in sagebrush and Lodgepole pine timber. The north-facing slopes in the area consist of a high down and down fuel component. The fire exhibited moderate fire behavior, with 3 to 5-foot flame lengths in the sagebrush and isolated torching, group torching, and crown runs through the tops of the trees in the timbered areas.

Weather conditions will be similar to yesterday, with temperatures approaching the upper 70s and relative humidity in the mid-teens to 20%. Winds will be from the southwest, reaching 10 mph in the afternoon hours. 
 

NEW BERN, N.C., May 3, 2025 – The Black Swamp Fire remains at 950 acres and 60% contained as suppression efforts continue in the Croatan National Forest. 

Over 80 personnel from the USDA Forest Service, North Carolina Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resource Commission and the National Park Service are supporting response operations, while southerly winds push the fire. 

Heavy equipment groups are continuing to improve containment on No Name and Moccasin Lane Road. Engines are making good progress soaking the flammable organic materials around the perimeter of the fire with the sprinkler system, especially on the north and east lines. Earthen dams will be installed to aid in pumping more water to areas surrounding the fire. Today will be a continuation of yesterday's efforts in improving contingency lines, sprinkler operations, and moving larger quantities of water closer to the fire. 195,000 gallons of water have been dropped on the fire by helicopters, extinguishing pockets of flames. 

Closures remain in effect for Black Swamp Road, the Black Swamp OHV area, Great Lake Boating Access Area and Sheep Ridge Wilderness Area, as well as portions of Great Lake Road, Seaborn Road and Holston Hunter Road. 

Smoke from the fire can cause limited visibility and may impact local air quality. Please drive slowly and use caution on roads where smoke may be settling. Check for air quality alerts at https://airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/ or https://fire.airnow.gov.

For the latest wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at U.S. Forest Service - National Forests in North Carolina or visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r08/northcarolina.

 Seeley Lake Ranger District: Firefighters will burn up to 38 acres in the Horseshoe West project area, 4 miles South of Seeley Lake.  Minimal smoke impacts are anticipated; however, smoke may be visible from Highway 83 in the Seeley Lake area.

All prescribed burns will be implemented in compliance with Montana air quality standards and coordinated with the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impact of smoke on neighbors, cooperators and surrounding communities. Smoke is expected to be a short-duration event and may settle in valley bottoms and drainages overnight and will dissipate within a few days.

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Fri, 05/02/2025 - 12:55

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