Due to so many wildfires across the nation, we are breaking them down by each state with the newest incidents being posted individually, then added to the group post and removing those that are put out.

If you wish to help capture all of the wildfires in this State, please let us know by sending your tips to us at nwfireblog@yahoo.com.

Here is the wildfire activity Sit Rep for the State of Montana.

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Fire Fact | According to the NIFC, there were 22 new wildfires reported by Fire Managers and with 30 uncontained incidents in both States of Idaho and Montana.

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South Tullock Creek Fire

Burning on BIA lands managed by the Crow Agency. Located about 22 miles southeast of Hardin. Moderate fire behavior with isolated torching. Fire fuels include short grass and brush. There has been 962 acres scorched and fire crews have successfully contained the fire to a twenty-percent status. There are eight personnel with one engine assigned to this fire. $25,000 for fire suppression and containment efforts have been reached as of today’s reporting.

Alder Creek Fire

Located on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. It is being managed by an Type 1 IMT, the SA Blue Team, which assumed command at 0600 hours on July 13, 2021, is also managing the TRAIL CREEK FIRE located 20 miles west of the Wisdom, MT area.

This fire is located 20 miles Northwest of the Wisdom area. the fire started July 8th from an unknown cause. Active fire behavior with spotting, group and single-tree torching. Fire fuels are timber and medium slash. Evacuations, area/road/trail closures are in effect. There has been at least 2,478 acres of land consumed and remains at a zero-percent containment status. About 167 total personnel alongside five crews and six engines. Fire costs have reached a whopping $1.2 Million Dollars as of today’s date.

LEVEL 3 EVACUATIONS: All of Alder Creek (17 homes)

PUBLIC MEETINGS:

7/15/2021 – 1800 hours – Wise Creek Community Center

7/16/2021 – 1800 hours – Gibbonsville Improvement Association. Gibbonsville, ID.

Trail Creek Fire

This wildfire incident is also being managed by the ALDER CREEK FIRE management team. This fire also started on July 8th and was sparked by lightning. Active fire behavior with single-tree and group torching with short-range spotting is being observed. Structures threatened. Area/road/trail closures are in effect. The TRAIL CREEK FIRE has burned about 9,544 acres and also has a zero-percent containment status. About 37 total personnel along with four engines remain assigned to this incident. Incident Cooperators include: Beaverhead Co SO, USFS. There has been a total loss of $100,000 in expenses to date.

Goose Fire

This incident is the third fire located on the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and located several miles from the other two with this one at 32 miles Southeast of Ennis.

The fire broke out on July 1, 2021, near Hoodoo Pass. Initial attack units responded to the area and initially located a 250-acre rock slide area that made it inaccessible to crews on both sides. The fire was ignited by lightning.

Active fire behavior with short crown runs, group torching and short-range spotting are occurring. Structures are threatened. Area/road and trail closures are in effect. The GOOSE FIRES has burned 4,700 acres of land and has reached a ten-percent containment status. It has a minimum 200 fire personnel alongside of six engines, 2 type 1 hot shot crews, one Type 2 initial attack crew.

$1.7 Million has been reached for cost-to-date.

MY Complex Fires

Three fires are being managed as one incident is being managed by the Northern Rockies Team 7, an IMT Type 2 which is burning in DNRs Southern Land Office region.

WESTERN ROAD FIRE about seven miles southeast of Roundup. Containment increased to 100%, along with the MUSSELSHELL FIRE.

PETERSON FIRE is located 12 miles south of Melstone. The USFS says they will have Fire crews, engines and heavy equipment will patrol, monitor, and check for remaining heat near containment lines on the north and south sides of the fire. 

MUSSELSHELL TRAIL FIRE is about 22 miles southeast of Musselshell and 15 miles northwest of Custer. 100% containment status with no heat of the 200′ of the fire perimeters. 30 miles of suppression repair has been completed.

Timber is the main fire fuel. Fire managers are reporting behavior as minimal with smoldering and creeping but are still threatening residential structures.

The MY COMPLEX FIRES has burned about 27,811 acres and is overall now at seventy-percent contained. It is host to 230 total fire personnel, down 97 from the day before. Additionally, there are 4 crews and 11 engines assigned. $1.9 Million is the cost-to-date for expenses.

West Lolo Complex Fires

Two fires are burning in this Complex on the USFS’s Lolo National Forest and being managed by the Northern Rockies Team 1, a Type 1 IMT. It is located about six miles North of St. Regis. Moderate fire behavior with flanking, single-tree torching and short-range spotting is happening. Fire fuels include close timber litter and timber. Area/road/trail closures in effect. This fire has burned a combined 1,532 acres, an increase of 175 acres from the day before and has a one-percent containment status. There has been a total assigned of 426 personnel with 11 crews, two engines and six helicopters. $3.3 Million Cost-to-date has been reached.

Significant Events > NOAA satellites are monitoring smoke from fires in Western US and Canada. State of Emergency Declared by the Governor of Montana.

Divide Complex Fires

Two fires are being managed by the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest personnel, which is located about 17 miles west of Neihart.

Fire fuels include timber and light slash. Active fire behavior with single-tree and group torching continues to occur. Area/road/trail closures in effect. About 2648 acres have been scorched and there is an eight percent containment status reach. One hundred-sixty-six total personnel are assigned alongside one crew, 14 engines and four helicopters. $1.7 Million has been reached to date.

Brewster Fire

The BREWSTER FIRE is burning about 20 miles west of Drummond and has been knocked down to a minimal fire behavior with smoldering and creeping on the Lolo National Forest in the Missoula Ranger District in Granite County.

Brewster Fire – Credit | Lolo NF

Road/trail closures in effect. The BREWSTER FIRE has burned 156 acres of lands and reached a 75% containment status. There are about twenty-four total personnel that remain on-scene and one crew. $555,000 is the cost-to-date.

Granite Pass Complex Fires

Lolo National Forest has seen its share of wildfires in its area, with this fire being located 30 miles southwest of Missoula. Timber, brush and medium are fire fuels. This wildfire started on an unknown date, early July 2021 that was sparked by lightning. Active fire behavior with backing and single-tree torching remain constant. The GRANITE PASS COMPLEX FIRES have burned 1,424 total acres and has a zero-containment status. There are 42 total personnel with One Hot shot crew – District Modules, one copter and two dozers. There is an unknown cost-to-date for this incident.

Significant Events > RED FLAG WARNING in effect from 1400 hours to 2100 hours, due to hot, dry and breezy conditions. Expected sustained winds of 12-miles-per-hour over the fire area with gusts up to 18 miles-per-hour are possible.

Robertson Draw Fire

The ROBERTSON DRAW FIRE is located about seven miles south of Red Lodge in the Customer Gallatin National Forest (USFS) that has been knocked down to a minimal fire behavior status with smoldering. However, area, road and trail closures remain in effect.

Just shy of 30,000 acres at 29,841, this ROBERTSON DRAW FIRE is now 85% contained. It has 68 total personnel assigned along with one crew and three engines. About 30 structures have been reported as destroyed. This fire has reached a high $10.5 Million cost-to-date.

Burnt Peak Fire

The BURNT PEAK FIRE is located about nine miles southwest of Troy in the Kootenai National Forest (USFS). It started on the morning of July 7th from lightning. Active fire behavior with short-crown runs, group torching and short-range spotting is occurring. Area/road closures in effect. BURNT PEAK FIRE has a 10% containment status and has burned a minimal of 1,361 acres of lands. About 119 total personnel are assigned to this incident along with four engines. $1.2 Million cost-to-date.

Dry Cabin Fire

The DRY CABIN FIRE is being managed with a strategy other than full suppression without a Type 1 or 2 IMT assigned. It is located on the LNF and has reached 300 acres. Three total personnel are on-scene with no additional resources. $4,000 cost-to-date on this USFS wildfire.

DISCLAIMER: Fire can change from minute-by-minute and we try to glean to most up-to-date information at the time of this post. Thank you for visiting our Fire Blog.

Sources: USFS, NIFC, Inciweb, Facebook Fire Pages.

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