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| Fire burns south of Big Timber |
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2005/8/19
BIG TIMBER - Thirty-four Forest Service firefighters, aided by retardant bombers flying out of Billings, were working Wednesday to contain a 6-acre fire burning in the mountains dividing the West Boulder and Main Boulder river drainages, just east of Pruitt Park.
Mike Gagen, fire management officer for the Gallatin National Forest, estimated the Hoolahan fire was about 20 percent contained. It is burning in dense Douglas fir timber.
A private land parcel in the forest containing several recreation cabins is within a mile of the fire, but no structures were immediately threatened.
"This is some steep, rugged country," said Bob Dennee, acting public affairs officer for the Gallatin. The fire is near the head of Sheep Creek, due west of the Main Boulder Ranger Station.
Fire officials think the fire was lightning-caused and may be a holdover from an earlier strike. There has been no recent lightning activity in the area.
"We've had dozens of small lightning starts in the last month or so," Dennee said. "Fortunately, we've got on them early and kept them to a small size."
The Hoolahan fire was first reported Tuesday afternoon by a Forest Service reconnaissance flight. Forest Service, Sweet Grass County and Park County fire departments initially attacked. The fire spread only moderately Tuesday night, with trees occasionally being torched on the perimeter.
However, a storm front expected Wednesday was forecast to contain strong winds, cooler temperatures and a 60 to 80 percent chance of rain.
The fire is the first of any size to burn on the Gallatin National Forest this season. The forest's fire danger rating is high, but no restrictions have been imposed.
"We have looked at that question," Dennee said, "but it hasn't been severe enough to warrant restrictions."
Moisture content in forest fuels was 12 percent in Douglas fir, Dennee said. "It's quite dry. We have had areas as low as 9 percent."
Resources committed to the fire include 14 smoke jumpers from West Yellowstone and Missoula, who were expected to be pulled from the fire late Wednesday. A 20-person crew from Great Falls was on-site, and two single-engine air tankers from Billings and one fixed-wing air attack plane from Lewistown were assisting. A helicopter was being pulled from the Interstate 90 fires west of Missoula, and another crew of 20 firefighters from Great Falls was expected to arrive Wednesday evening.
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| Source:http://www.wood365.com/ |
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