Firefighters report progress on SE Montana wildfire complex

ASHLAND - Firefighters reported Friday they have progress on battling a wildfire complex burning in Southeast Montana.

"Thursday was a very productive day for burnout operations on both the McGhee and Deadman Fires," fire officials said in an update.

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.

The Deadman Fire, the largest of the four wildfires, was reported at 18,927 acres and 20 percent contained. The McGhee Fire is 11,409 acres with 9 percent containment. The Prairie Fire is estimated at 6,540 acres and 50 percent contained, while the Four Mile Fire is at 2,082 acres and 39 percent contained.

Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services Facebook page

Here's the rest of the Friday update from fire officials:

The Flathead Hotshot crew carried on with burnout operations begun by the Craig Hotshots on the west flank of McGhee (along the Tongue River Road) and tied into dozer line on the north tip of the fire perimeter near Birney. The Mesa Hotshot crew, assisted by the unmanned aerial system, fired off large pockets of unburned fuel to create a black line on the west side of Hanging Woman Road, making it less likely for fire to back down with enough energy to spot across the road. They did protective burnouts around several residences as well. On the west side of the Deadman Fire, the smokejumper module continued to bring the fire’s edge to the Tongue River, a natural barrier to fire spreading west. A suppression repair plan was created for fireline rehabilitation on the Prairie Fire. Overnight, firefighters patrolled, mopped up hot spots, and watched for spotting due to outflow winds from the thunderstorm.

CURRENT STATUS
The main objective for today is for firefighters to secure and hold the areas burned yesterday. Crews may conduct additional burnout operations on the northwest side of McGhee to tie firelines together if conditions allow. Unburned islands still exist in the interior of the McGhee Fire, with the potential for spotting up to ½ mile. Helicopters will support firefighters as needed throughout the day to cool areas with intense heat with water bucket drops. On the Four Mile Fire, firefighters are cooling the remaining hot spots and patrolling the edges. Suppression repair actions will begin on the Prairie Fire today. There is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire area and initial attack resources assigned to these fires will help with any new lightning starts within the TFR.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
The fire area received little precipitation from the thunderstorms last night. Temperatures will be 8-10 degrees cooler today with relative humidity at 27 percent. Winds will generally be north-northeasterly, with gusts to 20 mph. Individual tree torching has the potential to create spot fires, which will readily sustain spread.

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.