Wildfire near Helmville grows to over 100 acres, evacuation warning in place

UPDATE: 4:52 p.m. - August 24, 2024

The McElwain Fire six miles west of Helmville in Powell County has burned 107 acres as of Saturday.

The blaze is comprised of two adjacent fires, a north fire, and a south fire.

The Powell County Sheriff's Office has issued evacuation warnings to residents in the immediate area of the fire, specifically the Ledger Road area.

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Residents are asked to visit the Powell County Sheriff's Office Facebook page for specific information and updates.

The fire is burning in grass and timber on private and Bureau of Land Management land under Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation wildland fire protection

The cause of the blaze remains undetermined.

ORIGINAL REPORT (August 23, 2024)

The Powell County Sheriff has issued an evacuation warning near the McEwain Creek Fire north of Highway 271 in the Helmville area, specifically the Ledger Road area. It is a limited warning for residents in the immediate area.

The fire is burning west of Helmville and was last reported at around 80 acres. The Sheriff's Office warns this is fast-moving, pushed by strong winds from the southwest, and those in the path should be ready to evacuate.

The fire was first reported at 12:42 PM on Friday.

Multiple resources are on the scene including 11 engines, two water tenders, one skidgine, one dozer, a helitack crew, and two type 2 helicopters. A Type 3 Incident Commander and additional resources including a Type 2 hand crew will be arriving Saturday.

This is a developing story.

Powell County Sheriff's Office