Updated at 9:47 p.m. MDT June 16, 2021
On Wednesday the Robertson Draw Fire spread much more slowly than on Tuesday when it ran for 9 miles to the northeast. The calmer winds and higher humidity still resulted in additional acreage being consumed on the north and south sides, moving about a mile in each direction. The wind was generally from the north and northeast at 5 to 10 mph with gusts of 12 to 20 but the relative humidity in the high 40s moderated the rate of spread.
The calmer winds allowed aircraft to assist firefighters on the ground, including one DC-10 Very Large Air Tanker.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Robertson Draw Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
As of Wednesday afternoon the resources assigned include 5 hand crews, 10 engines, 4 helicopters, and 7 pieces of heavy equipment for a total of 200 personnel.
11:08 a.m. MDT June 16, 2021
The Robertson Draw Fire ran for about nine miles during a 24-hour period on Tuesday, growing to 20,436 acres by 9:45 p.m. It was spreading northeast toward the small community of Bearcreek on Highway 308 and Belfry on Highway 72. During a satellite overflight at 4:24 a.m. MDT Wednesday it was 2.5 miles from Red Lodge, 2 miles from Bearcreek, and 4 miles west of Highway 72. (See the map above.)
According to data gathered from the BLM Belfry weather station the fire was pushed Tuesday by 5 to 12 mph winds primarily from the southwest gusting at 10 to 26 mph while the relative humidity was in the single digits.
At 3 a.m. Wednesday the wind direction changed, coming out of the north. At 9:15 a.m. it was still from the north at 17 mph gusting to 32 but the relative humidity had risen to 42 percent. The forecast for the fire area Wednesday predicts 10 mph winds out of the north or northeast, 24 percent RH, and high temperatures in the high 70s. The winds should be out of the north through Sunday.
This change in wind direction should take some of the pressure temporarily off the communities of Red Lodge and Bearcreek. There is a chance of thunderstorms Sunday.
The Incident Management Team posted the following evacuation information at 9:55 a.m. Wednesday:
Evacuation Orders (leave immediately):
• Area south of Highway 308 from Red Lodge to Highway 72, east of 72 to the Wyoming border. This excludes the town of Bearcreek and Belfry.
• The area west of Meeteetse Trail Road, and the east side of Highway 212 from Meeteetse Trail Road to Westminster Spires Church Camp.
• USDA Forest Service Recreation Residences in Corral Creek, Spring Creek, Snow Creek, and Sheep Creek.
• All campgrounds, dispersed camping and trailheads from the Lake Fork north to Red Lodge including the dispersed camping area just west of the Lake Fork Road.
Bearcreek is under an evacuation warning.
A Type 2 Incident Management Team is due to arrive Wednesday.
The fire was reported at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.
Monday night the resources assigned to the fire according to the June 16 National Situation Report, included 2 hand crews, 1 engine, and 4 helicopters for a total of 81 personnel. These are very small numbers for a 20,436-acre fire with structures threatened and evacuations taking place.
On Tuesday the fire was burning through an area with no recorded fire history, going back many decades.
Heartfelt thanks to all the firefighters holding the line, wherever they might be. Stay safe – grass and trees will return, but you cannot. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Yup, just love the armchair quarterbacks. Think you can do it better, get a job with the USFS or BLM, State, tell them how they’re doing it wrong.
Truth hurts ! FS leadership doesn’t care about OUR lands anymore!
The armchair quarterbacks here should strap on some gear and get to it.
You let me use a D10 Dozer with enclosed cab and I’d put a fireline around that in a heart-beat…
No you wouldn’t.
How much you wanna make a bet I can throw a football over them mountains?… Yeah… Coach woulda put me in fourth quarter, we would’ve been state champions. No doubt. No doubt in my mind.
“If the IC woulda gave me a D10 with an enclosed cab, I would have lined that fire all by myself. No doubt in my mind. Things woulda been different. I’d be back at fire camp washing down a salisbury steak with some grape drink. Soaking it up with my swamper.”
“Kip, I reckon you know a lot about cyberspace. You ever come across anything like, time travel?”
“Easy, I’ve already looked into it for myself.”
“Right on, right on.”
Drove to Coday on Monday
Drove south on 72 toward Cody at about 2:00 pm. Still a small fire contained near origin. Returned about midnight. Fire was raging on the Belfry side. Flames were 100 foot high plus. What a shame. Fire management on this fire has been poor at best. If disaster occurs, it’s caused by the lack of response.
Us contractor r still waiting at home wondering if we r going to be called out
Type II Team……………..are you kidding?
Agree
not there but it appears to be a woeful lack of foresight engagement and ordering
INADEQUATE Resources on the Robertson Draw fire . Why ?? This could turn into a disaster !