2 of 4 major wildfires in SE Montana complex 100 percent contained

ASHLAND - Fire officials reported Monday morning that crews have fully contained two of the four major wildfires in Southeast Montana.

The Four Mile Fire and the Prairie Fire were 100 percent contained, while containment has grown on the other two larger wildfires burning in the area.

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 July 15.

The Deadman Fire, the largest of the four wildfires, was reported Monday at 19,982 acres with 74 percent containment. The McGhee Fire was at 19,223 acres and 52 percent containment.

The smaller wildfires in the complex - the Four Mile and the Prairie fires - had burned a combined 8,622 acres.

Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services Facebook page

Here is the full Monday update:

KEY MESSAGE
Containment on both the Deadman and the McGhee Fire increased. Firefighters continued to secure structures along Hanging Woman Road and mopped up (cooled hot spots) along the south edge of the McGhee Fire north of the Lacey Gulch Road. A crew patrolled and mopped up hot spots along the Tongue River Road south of Birney. Dozer lines were mapped for potential rehabilitation needs on all four fires. Repair of known dozer lines began on the southwest corner of the Deadman Fire.

CURRENT STATUS
Firefighters will continue patrolling and mopping up uncontrolled edges of the McGhee and Deadman Fires. Repair and rehabilitation, including some work by hand, of indirect and direct lines will continue today on the north end of the McGhee Fire, as well as on various dozer lines on all four fires. A temporary flight restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area, and initial attack resources assigned to these fires will help with any new starts within the TFR.

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Today, temperatures are expected to reach a high of 92 F and 21 percent relative humidity. Winds will generally be from the north northeast, with gusts to 15 mph. A heat dome is moving into the area with very high temperatures forecasted for Wednesday and Thursday, and very low levels of relative humidity. Isolated torching in the interior of Deadman and McGhee will continue.

SMOKE
Smoke from Canada and other fires will impact the area. For the current smoke reports, visit www.fire.airnow.gov/

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES
Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place in Bighorn County. Visit www.mtfireinfo.org for current Montana fire restrictions information. The Big Horn County Sheriff has lifted its evacuation warning for the Four Mile Fire and Tongue River Reservoir area. The Rosebud County Sheriff has lifted the evacuation warning for the area north of the McGhee Fire.