Rain and snow are beginning to accumulate over high elevations on the Bridger Foothills Fire. 
Firefighters are taking advantage of the minimal fire activity today to further construction fireline and secure and assess around structures. 

Warmer temperatures are expected later in the week.  
A Type I Incident Management Team assumes command of the fire today.

Bridger Foothills Fire

Morning Update - September 7, 2020

Start date:  September 4, 2020

Location:  NE of Bozeman, MT, approx. 2.5 miles up from M parking lot, near Bridger Foothills Trail.

Cause:  Under Investigation

Total Personnel: 160

Current Size:  Approximately 7140 acres

Containment: 0%

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7144/

Call 211 for those affected by the Fire and seeking assistance.

Hwy 86/Bridger Canyon Road is closed: Story Mill to Sedan,

Evacuations in effect for Kelly Canyon, Jackson Creek and all of Bridger Canyon. 

Moffitt Gulch, Quinn Creek, O’Rea Creek, Willow Creek, Fleshman Creek, Stone Creek, Skunk Creek and Brackett Creek under evacuation warnings.

Media Escorts will start to occur on Monday,

please call 406-219-7136 to arrange, respect residents.

Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office will be letting residents return briefly between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday, Sept. 7.  Residents MUST provide name, address, ID and varication and check-in/out with deputies. 

Please use the access closest to your house. (Stone Creek to Brackett remains closed for safety).

Forest Area Closures: All roads and trails in the Bridgers and Bangtails are closed.

Resources Assigned: Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team under the command of Dan Dallas will inbrief and assume command of the fire this morning, Monday, September 7.   Air resources, including single engine air tankers, 7 helicopters, Midnight Sun and Idaho Panhandle Interagency Hotshot Crews, smokejumpers, 4 Type II handcrews, 11 engines, 4 water tenders, 2 dozers and more resources on order. 

Current Status: Minimal fire activity occurred on Sunday, mainly on the northeast flank of the fire.  Firefighters begin assessing structures and providing additional structure protection after Saturday fire front to prevent any reburn around homes.  Direct handline continues to be constructed along the heel of the fire and proceeding north. 

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Structure protection on the fire has confirmed structures have been impacted and lost.  Assessment and recovery of structures continues today and follow-up with homeowners is being done as soon as possible. 

Planned Actions:  Firefighters will continue to secure the heel of the fire and work north, typing in along the flanks of the fire.  Structure protection, including assessments and recovery will continue today.  Heavy equipment and air support will be utilized where needed to continue to secure a line and mop-up around structures and prevent any reburn.  Public and firefighter life and safety is the utmost priority.

Weather:  A significant cool down is expected Monday, with rain occurring over the fire area starting around 9 a.m.  A mix of rain/snow is expected into the afternoon and overnight.  Overnight temps will dip to 21-30 degrees and will be the first hard frost in most of the fire area.  Minimal fire activity is expected Monday with weather, with a warming trend by the end of the week.

-FS-

Bridger Foothills Fire

Evening Update - September 6, 2020

Start date:  September 4, 2020

Location:  NE of Bozeman, MT, approx. 2.5 miles up from M parking lot, near Bridger Foothills Trail.

Cause:  Under Investigation

Total Personnel: 140

Current Size:  Approximately 7100 acres

Containment: 0%

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7144/

Call 211 for those affected by the Fire and seeking assistance.

Hwy 86/Bridger Canyon Road is closed: Story Mill to Sedan,

Evacuations in effect for Kelly Canyon, Jackson Creek and all of Bridger Canyon. 

Moffitt Gulch, Quinn Creek, O’Rea Creek, Willow Creek, Fleshman Creek, Stone Creek, Skunk Creek and Brackett Creek under evacuation warnings.  

Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office will be letting residents return briefly between 8 a.m. and noon, Monday, Sept. 7.  Residents MUST provide name, address, ID and varication and check-in/out with deputies. 

Please use the access point closest to your house. (Stone Creek to Brackett remains closed for safety)

Forest Area Closures: All roads and trails in the Bridgers and Bangtails are closed.

Resources Assigned: Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team under the command of Dallas will inbrief and assume command of the fire tomorrow, Monday, September 7.   Air resources including single engine air tankers, 6 helicopters, Midnight Sun and Idaho Panhandle Interagency Hotshot Crews, 3 Type II handcrews, multiple structure protection strike teams/engines, smokejumpers, dozers and more resources on order. 

Current Status: Minimal fire activity occurred on Sunday, September 6 mainly on the northeast flank of the fire.  Firefighters were able to assess structures and continue to provide structure protection where the fire went through on Saturday and ensure embers around houses were extinguished.  Direct handline was constructed along the heel of the fire, on the southwestern edge of the fire.  The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Structure protection on the fire has confirmed structures have been impacted and lost.  Follow-up with homeowners is being done as soon as possible. 

Planned Actions:  Firefighters will continue with direct handline construction working north.  Structure protection will occur ahead of the fire and firefighters will continue to assess structures.  Heavy equipment will be utilized where needed to continue to secure a line and mop-up around structures and prevent any reburn.  Public and firefighter life and safety is the utmost priority.   

Injuries:  On Saturday two separate events took place.  One confirmed injury due do a rolling rock to a firefighter was confirmed.  The individual has been treated and released. 

A separate incident occurred with three firefighters in a position that they felt they needed to deploy their fire shelters as is trained for.  At a later time, the firefighters came out of their shelters and were able to move to a safe area.  The individuals are currently being treated at Bozeman Health for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion and have been released.  They are otherwise in good condition and will be rejoining their families as soon as possible.

Public and firefighter life and safety is the utmost priority and actions taking place today will follow that primary principle.    

Weather:  A significant cool down is expected overnight and into Monday.  Overnight temps at 43-46, relative humidity recovery at 83-91%.  Monday temperatures will be 44-49 and rain showers likely. 

-FS-

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOREST SERVICE

1. Going into or being upon an area 36 C.F.R. § 261.52(e)

2) Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty;

#BridgerFoothillsFire - we have had reports of unmanned aircraft (drones) over the fire. Drones are prohibited in the fire area. If you fly, WE CAN’T - drones have potential to shut down all air operations. Please help responders by steering clear of closures, including airspace.

Firefighters continue to make water drop and load and return and assess structures in Bridger Canyon.

A live virtual meeting will be hosted Gallatin County Sheriff's Office at 2:30 p.m.

Injuries:  On Saturday two separate events took place.  One confirmed injury due do a rolling rock to a firefighter was confirmed.  The individual has been treated and released.  

A separate incident occurred with three firefighters in a position that they felt they needed to deploy their fire shelters as is trained for.  At a later time, the firefighters came out of their shelters and were able to move to a safe area.  The individuals are currently being treated at Bozeman Health for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion and have been released.  They are otherwise in good condition and will be rejoining their families as soon as possible.

Public and firefighter life and safety is the utmost priority and actions taking place today will follow that primary principle.      

Weather:  A cold front occurred over the fire area on Saturday, with an additional cold front expected Sunday.  Temperatures on Sunday will be 78-83 with relative humidity at 20-24%.  A significant cool down is expected overnight and into Monday.  Overnight temps at 43-46, relative humidity recovery at 83-91%.  Monday temperatures will be 44-49 and rain showers likely. 

Bridgers and Bangtails - All Roads and Trails are closed.

Bridger Foothills Fire

Evening Update - September 5, 2020

Start date:  September 4, 2020

Location:  NE of Bozeman, MT, approx. 2.5 miles up from M parking lot, near Bridger Foothills Trail.

Cause:  Under Investigation

Total Personnel: 120

Current Size:  Estimated at 11,000 acres

Containment: 0%

Hwy 86/Bridger Canyon Road is closed

Story Mill to Brackett Creek; including Kelly Canyon and Jackson Creek Road,

Evacuations in effect for Kelly Canyon, Jackson Creek and all of Bridger Canyon. 

Skunk Creek Road under evacuation warning.  

Forest Area Closures: All roads and trails in the Bridgers and Bangtails are closed immediately.  

Resources Assigned: Type 1 IMT ordered, 2 large airtankers, 4 single engine air tankers, 5 helicopters dropping water and providing structure protection, Midnight Sun Interagency Hotshot Crew, smokejumpers, 2 type 2 handcrews, dozers and more resources being ordered.  

Current Status:  Bridger Foothills Fire had an extremely active day on Saturday with high temps, low relative humidity and sustained winds 10-20 mph, gusts to 30 mph and a cold front passage.  The fire grew from an estimated 400 acres to 11,000 acres.  The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office and Structure protection on the fire has confirmed structures have been impacted and lost.  An estimate and follow-up will be done as possible.  People who have not been evacuated are urged to voluntarily leave the area until it is safe to return.  

Planned Actions:  After extreme fire behavior on Saturday, firefighters will reassess the fire and determine structure protection and public safety.  An infrared aviation flight mapping the fire perimeter will occur overnight.  A Type I Incident Management Team is ordered and will be inbriefing at 10:00 Monday, September 7, 2020.  Firefighters had to disengage and pull off the fire and focus on structure protection for much of Saturday afternoon due to safety and fire behavior. 

Injuries:  We do have one confirmed injury due to a rolling rock to a firefighter.  This individual has been treated and released.  A separate incident occurred as well, on Saturday with three firefighters in a position that they felt they needed to deploy their fire shelters.  At a later time the firefighters came out of their shelters and were able to move to a safe area.  The individuals are currently being treated at Bozeman Health for smoke inhalation and heat exhaustion, but are otherwise in good condition and will be rejoining their families as soon as possible.   

Weather:  One cold front occurred Saturday afternoon/evening with another cold front expected Sunday.  Sunday is expected to be 80’s with slightly higher relative humidity.  Shifting winds are expected.  Cooler temps over the fire are expected by Monday. 

-FS-

EVACUATIONS IN EFFECT – GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE

UPDATE

Bridger Canyon – Evacuate

Jackson Creek Road to I-90 – Evacuate

Brackett Creek – Voluntary Evacuation – Residents have previously been notified of the possibility of evacuations, residents in that area are urged to voluntarily evacuate.

Kelly Canyon – Evacuate. 

Skunk Creek - Warning received for evacutations

The Bridger Foothills Fire has jumped Bridger Canyon Road. We are losing structures and are continuing to evacuate residents.

Stay away from the Bridger Canyon, Kelly Canyon and Jackson Creek area. The situation is dangerous and changing rapidly.

People are also asked to not call 911 unless they are directly impacted by the fire. Our dispatchers are being inundated with calls.

EVACUATIONS FOR BRIDGER CANYON AND JACKSON CREEK to I-90

If you are a resident of Bridger Canyon who has not been contacted by the sheriff's office yet, you are asked to evacuate voluntarily.
 
Residents of Jackson Creek Road all the way to I-90 need to evacuate now.  

Residents were warned yesterday and this morning prior to the evacuations.

Bridger Canyon Road is currently closed to non-residents between Story Mill Road and Sedan. It is important for people to stay away from Bridger Canyon to allow for responders to work on the fire.

People are also asked to not call 911 unless they are directly impacted by the fire. Our dispatchers are being inundated with calls.