Incident: Ash Creek Complex Wildfire
Released: 13 hrs. ago

ASH CREEK

DAILY INFORMATION FACT SHEET

 

Date: July 6, 2012 Time: 8:00 a.m.

 

Incident: Ash Creek Fire

 

Incident Commander: Tom Heintz, Northern Rockies Type-II Incident Management Team

Incident Information telephone number: 406-748-3061

Location: Ash Creek Fire began 10 miles east of Lame Deer and spread north and east

 

Approximate Size: Ash Creek Fire: 248,600 acres at 70% containment

Resources: Hand Crews: (5) Type I Hot Shot Fire Crews; (14) Type II Initial Attack fire crews; (3) Type II crews from local BIA; Engines: 66; Water Tenders: 15; Dozers: 10; Air Support: (5) Helicopters, (1) Air tanker, (2) Air attack Total personnel: 811. Injuries: None

Fire Update: The Ash Creek Fire experienced between 1/10-to-1/4 inch of precipitation last night. With the temperature and relative humidity level recovery last night and forecasted weather for today, crews will look for opportunities to construct direct fireline on the east and northeast flanks of the fire. The other portions of the Ash Creek Fire are in mop-up phase and patrol status.

Highway 212 is reopened to the public; however, reduced speed limits will be enforced in portions close to the fire area. As a reminder, many fences were damaged in the fire, which means that there may be cattle roaming near the highway or other side roads.

Today’s forecast weather is for cooler temperatures in the mid to upper 80s, humidity levels between 31-36% with winds from the east/northeast at 10-20 mph. Over the next few days, however, temperatures will begin to climb back into the 90s with predicted winds at 5-10 mph from the southeast.

The Ash Creek Fire is part of the South Eastern Montana Complex, which includes the Taylor Creek, Horse Creek, Powerline and Coal Seam fires. Tom Heintz’s Type II Team will continue to manage the Ash Creek Fire, while the other four fires are under the management of Greg Poncin’s Type I Northern Rockies Incident Management Team.

Special Concerns & Closures: Fire restrictions remain in place on the Northern Cheyenne Tribe and local counties. The Ashland Ranger District of the Custer National Forest is under Stage 2 Fire Restrictions and has initiated area closures due to fire activity on all National Forest System lands north of Highway 212. More detailed explanation of the restrictions and closures is available at the Custer National Forest website www.fs.usda.gov/custer.

More Information: Visit Inciweb at http://www.inciweb.org/ or call the Ash Creek Fire information line at 406-748-3061. For information on the South Eastern Montana Complex email semontanacomplex@gmail.com or call one of these numbers: 406-493-5934, 406-521-0367 or 541-554-5293.