Robertson Draw Fire, as seen from the Red Lodge, MT area June 15, 2021. Photo by @MontanaRoots.
These photos of the Robertson Draw Fire were taken from Red Lodge, Montana over a three-day period, June 15 through 17, by @MontanaRoots.
Their Twitter profile:
Montana born & raised, Navy submarine officer vet, MSU Bobcat. Probably out hiking or heading down some backroad. Amateur photographer.
Robertson Draw Fire, as seen from the Red Lodge, MT area June 15, 2021. Photo by @MontanaRoots.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Robertson Draw Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
The photos are looking toward Mount Maurice.
Robertson Draw Fire, as seen from the Red Lodge, MT area June 16, 2021. Photo by @MontanaRoots.Robertson Draw Fire, as seen from the Red Lodge, MT area June 17, 2021. Photo by @MontanaRoots.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Robertson Draw Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
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.
The fire as seen from Red Lodge. Probably taken Tuesday June 15.
11:08 a.m. MDT June 16, 2021
Map showing the perimeter of the Robertson Draw Fire (the red line) at 9:45 p.m. MDT June 15, 2021. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 4:24 a.m. June 16, 2021. The white line was the approximate perimeter at 3:48 a.m. MDT June 15, 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.
Robertson Draw Fire as seen from Red Lodge, MT, June 15, 2021. Photo by Custer Gallatin National Forest.
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.
Fire history, in the area of the current Robertson Draw Fire.
Forecast for vertically integrated smoke at 6 p.m. MDT June 16, 2021. NOAA.
It is only mid-June and we are already looking at large-scale wildland fire smoke issues.
These maps predict the distribution of smoke at 6 p.m. MDT today, June 16, 2021.
Vertically integrated smoke depicts all of the smoke in a vertical column, including smoke high in Earth’s atmosphere and can produce red sunrises and sunsets. In some cases where it is only at high altitudes it may not be very noticeable on the ground.
Near-surface smoke refers to the smoke that will hover within 8 meters (26 feet) of the ground—the kind responsible for burning eyes and aggravated asthma.
Forecast for near-surface smoke at 6 p.m. MDT June 16, 2021. NOAA.
Satellite photo showing the smoke from two wildfires in Montana at 7:41 p.m. MDT June 15, 2021; the Deep Creek and Robertson Draw Fires. The Robertson Draw Fire shows massive growth over the previous three and a half hours. NASA. GOES 16.
The satellite photo taken by GOES 16 at 7:41 p.m. MDT June 15 shows an enormous smoke plume from the Robertson Draw Fire spreading to the northeast. It is heading directly to Billings, the lights from which can be seen through the smoke.
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Robertson Draw Fire, including the most recent, click HERE.
5:13 p.m. MDT June 15, 2021
Map showing the location of the Robertson Draw Fire. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3 a.m. MDT June 15, 2021. The other colors are from earlier satellite overflights.
The Robertson Draw Fire 9 miles south of Red Lodge, Montana is burning vigorously Tuesday afternoon, producing a very large smoke column easily seen on satellite photos.
Tuesday morning firefighters estimated the size at 2,000 acres but that number could be very different by the time the sun sets.
The fire is in south-central Montana one mile north of the MT/WY state line, and five miles east of the famous switchbacks on the Beartooth Highway, US 212.
3-D map showing the APPROXIMATE location of the Robertson Draw Fire, based on satellite heat data at 3:48 a.m. MDT June 15, 2021.
Evacuations and evacuation warnings are in place for multiple areas near the fire. Firefighters expected a critical fire weather day on Tuesday with Red Flag Warnings in effect due to the hot, dry, and windy weather conditions. According to the Type 3 Incident Management Team, the Gold and Ruby Creek areas were re-evacuated Tuesday morning.
The fire ranges from 7,000′ above sea level up to 9,300′.
Robertson Draw Fire, June 14, 2021, InciWeb photo.
About 80 firefighters are working to suppress the fire. Resources include hand crews, engines, helicopters, a rappel crew, and support personnel. Air tankers are assisting firefighters as needed and available. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered.
Satellite photo showing the smoke from two wildfires in Montana at 4:11 p.m. MDT June 15, 2021; the Deep Creek and Robertson Draw Fires.
Another fire in Montana, the Deep Creek Fire, is 128 miles northwest of the Robertson Draw Fire, and 40 miles southeast of Helena. It is also burning vigorously, east of Townsend on both sides of US 12. This first photo shows what it looked like on June 13.
Deep Creek Fire, as seen from MM19 on Hwy. 12 near Townsend, MT. Photo by Mike Vinion June 13, 2021.
#DeepCreekFire update: We are in unified command with Montana DNRC and a Type 1 team has been ordered. Highway 12 is closed east of Townsend. Please avoid the Deep Creek Canyon area. pic.twitter.com/AQ0OHcw9kg
— Helena-Lewis&ClarkNF (@LewisandClarkNF) June 15, 2021
To see all articles on Wildfire Today about the Deep Creek Fire, including the most current, click HERE.
The Telegraph and Mescal Fires have merged southeast of Globe, Arizona
Updated at 10:25 a.m. MDT June 15, 2021
Map showing the area where the Telegraph & Mescal Fires merged. The perimeter of the Telegraph Fire was mapped at 11:16 p.m. MDT June 14. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3:54 a.m. MDT June 15, 2021. The satellites did not detect any large heat sources on the two fires outside of what is seen here.
Monday night the Telegraph Fire south of Globe, Arizona spread farther to the east across Highway 77 and merged with the mostly dormant Mescal Fire. When the Telegraph Fire was mapped at 11:16 p.m. Monday it was 123,078 acres, but it continued growing through the night possibly adding another 6,000 to 12,000 acres. At least 22 structures have been destroyed.
The fire burned through the El Capitan area Monday night from the west and north, then later moved through again from the Southeast.
Extremely dry fuels and weather conditions led to the rapid growth. At Globe Monday night the relative humidity stayed in the single digits until 4 a.m. when it rose to 10 percent. The wind during the night was generally out of the west at 10 to 15 mph with gusts of 15 to 24 mph, but slowed after 1 a.m.
Tuesday morning at 8:06 MST it was 88°, 22 percent RH, with a wind shift, 9 mph east-northeast winds gusting to 15.
Monday’s forecast for Globe is 106° and 15 mph winds out of the west-northwest gusting at 20 to 24 with the RH in the low teens.
An excessive heat warning is in effect through Friday with high temperatures at Globe continuing around 106°.
The progression map below shows how the recent growth on the east side apparently spread from Pinal and Signal Peaks.
Telegraph Fire progression map, June 15, 2021
8:45 p.m. MDT June 14, 2021
Map of the Telegraph & Mescal Fires. The fire perimeter was mapped at 1:30 p.m. MDT June 14. The red areas represent heat detected by a satellite at 2:42 p.m. MDT June 14, 2021.
The Telegraph Fire south of Globe, Arizona exhibited extreme fire behavior Sunday afternoon and into the night. It ran to the east and spotted across State Route 77 early Monday morning near Capitan Pass and a second time just south of Grantham Ranch. The fire’s edge has moved adjacent to El Capitan on the west and east sided of SR 77, and spread east to the San Carlos Apache Reservation border. Hand crews and dozers are working to build fire line around the spot fire.
Firefighters conducted firing operations from a dozer line on the northeast side of the fire south of Six Shooter Canyon Road and Ice House Canyon Road.
The fire is currently about 2 miles from the Mescal Fire.
Telegraph Fire June 13, 2021. InciWeb photo.
The fire impacted the west side of El Capitan. Structure protection crews in that area are using all of the contingency lines and prepositioned hoses, pumps, and water to protect the values at risk in and around El Capitan.
Airtankers and helicopters are dropping retardant and water in support of ground crews’ efforts. The fire behavior is too severe to allow firefighters to access and work near Pinal and Signal Peaks.
On the north side of the fire, crews continue to patrol and mop up pockets of unburned fuel which flare up along U.S. Route 60.
The Pack Creek Fire 13 miles southeast of Moab, Utah was very active Sunday afternoon, sending up a large convection column topped by pyrocumulus clouds.
The blaze moved to the northeast crossing Geyser Pass Road northwest of Mt. Mellenthin Sunday, which prompted the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office to order new evacuations. The area affected is all private property east of Geyser Pass on LaSal Mountains, from Blue Lake down through the Dark Canyon area.
3-D map of the Pack Creek Fire. The fire perimeter was mapped at 1:58 a.m. MDT June 13, 2021.The fire perimeter of the Pack Creek Fire was mapped at 1:58 a.m. MDT June 13, 2021. The red dots represent heat detected by a satellite at 3 p.m. MDT June 13, 2021.
Sunday morning the fire was mapped at about 5,400 acres, but the growth in the afternoon will modify that number. At least 72 residences and 69 other structures are threatened.
An excessive heat warning forecast for Monday through Friday, 105° to 108° in the valley, will increase the risk of rapid fire spread. The relative humidity will be in the single digits with nighttime recovery below 20 percent.
The fire behavior forecast through Sunday night predicts that the northern flank will remain most active due to exposure to wind and receptive fuels. Torching and spotting is possible and will result in potentially significant spread. The upper elevations of the east flank will continue smoldering and creeping, however the timberline above will check significant growth.
Pack Creek Fire, June 13, 2021. Photo by Sara Porterfield.
The behavior of the flames in the video below is fascinating.
Firefighters continue to work on accessible portions of the fire in steep & rugged terrain. With current weather and fire behavior, we expect large fire growth on the #PackCreekFire. Video from Rob Kephart, @ml_nf
South Zone Fire Management Officer. pic.twitter.com/uqoRuFmPe4
