Containment grows at SE Montana wildfire complex

ASHLAND - Fire crews have made significant progress in containing one of the four wildfires burning in Southeast Montana.

Fire officials said in a Thursday morning update that the Four Mile Fire is now 39 percent contained, up from only 1 percent the day before. That wildfire has burned an estimated 2,082 acres.

Progress on the three larger wildfires - Deadman, McGee, and Prairie fires - remained steady. The Deadman Fire, the largest wildfire in the state, grew slightly from 19,088 acres reported Wednesday to 19,130 acres and remained at 20 percent containment. The McGhee Fire was estimated at 11,409 acres and was 9 percent contained, and the Prairie Fire has burned 6,540 acres and was 50 percent contained.

Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services Facebook page

The wildfires - burning south of Birney and north of Tongue River Reservoir in Rosebud and Big Horn Counties - were started by lightning when a storm moved through the region on July 12 and 13.

A Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3 took command of the complex of wildfires on Monday.

No injuries or property loss have been reported, but the fires forced the voluntary evacuation of the Tongue River State Park over the weekend.

Here's the most recent update from fire officials:

KEY MESSAGE: Burnout operations yesterday on the southwest edge of the McGhee Fire were very successful, and firefighters working cooperatively with local ranchers held the line along the Wall Creek Road. Aviation assets assisted firefighters with an area of fire that pushed over the line above the Lacey Gulch Road on Wednesday evening. A Hotshot crew carried on with burnout operations west along Wall Creek Road toward the Tongue River Road. On the southern part of the west side of the Deadman Fire, the smokejumper module tended the areas where the fire is backing down to the Tongue River, taking advantage of the river as a natural barrier to fire spread. The north, east and southern perimeters of the Deadman are not exhibiting active fire behavior. An Unmanned Aerial System (drone) was used overnight to assist firefighters with small burnout operations on the east side of the McGhee Fire.

CURRENT STATUS: On McGhee, helicopters will continue to work on hot areas on the west side down into the south portion as needed, supporting the crews holding the fireline near the junction of the Tongue River Road and Wall Creek Road. A Hotshot crew will burn out areas along the Tongue River Road on the southwest edge towards Battle Butte, about four miles southwest of Birney. On the Deadman Fire, the smokejumper module will continue to secure the southwest edge as it back down to the Tongue River. On the Four Mile Fire, firefighters are cooling the remaining hot spots and patrolling the edges. The Prairie Fire is showing little heat and is being monitored.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR: Temperatures will approach 100 degrees F today with relative humidity in the teens and a chance of thunderstorms tonight. Winds will generally be light and easterly, with gusts to 15 mph. Active fire behavior with increases in flame length, rates of spread, and spotting distances are expected. Near critical fire conditions exist across the area. Burn periods of 16 hours are being observed.

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES: In Big Horn County, an evacuation warning is in place for residents from the intersection of Dale Creek Road and East Fork Canyon Road, east to the county line; from the intersection of Dale Creek Road and East Fork Canyon Road south to the intersection of Birney Road and Highway 314; from the intersection of Highway 314 and Birney Road east to the county line. In Rosebud County, an evacuation warning is in place for residents along the Tongue River Road from the Tongue River Bridge at Wall Creek to the southern Rosebud County line. Look for specific closure information and maps on the Rosebud and Big Horn County Sheriff Facebook pages. An evacuation warning means people should be aware of and monitor the situation closely, being prepared to evacuate if needed as the status could change quickly.