Above: A South Dakota National Guard Blackhawk helicopter makes a water drop on the Chilson Fire, July 24, 2017.
(Originally published at 4:50 p.m. MDT July 24, 2017)
The Chilson Fire has burned approximately 40 acres in the Black Hills of South Dakota, halfway between Edgemont and Hot Springs south of Highway 18 and one mile southeast of Old Highway 18.
At 3 p.m. on Monday firefighters appeared to have the spread stopped, thanks to efforts by 4 engines, 3 hand crews, 3 helicopters (1 contracted Type 3 and 2 National Guard Blackhawks), and 1 single engine air tanker.
Chilson Fire, between Edgemont and Hot Springs, SD. Click to enlarge.
Since the Northern Great Plains received 28,000 cloud to ground lightning strikes on July 21 and 22, firefighters in the Black Hills have responded to around 20 fires. Most were suppressed at less than an acre, but four others burned 8, 10, and 36 acres; and this one, the Chilson Fire, that is estimated at 40 acres.
A South Dakota National Guard Blackhawk helicopter drops water on the Chilson Fire, July 24, 2017. Click to enlarge.A South Dakota National Guard Blackhawk helicopter works on the Chilson Fire. Click to enlarge.
The National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches on Monday for areas in Montana, California, Oregon and Idaho.
The map was current as of 10:45 a.m. MDT on Monday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts.
Above: Satellite photo of the Lodgepole Complex of fires, July 23, 2017. The red dots represent heat detected by the satellite.
(Updated at 11:50 p.m. MDT July 24, 2017)
The Lodgepole Complex of fires in eastern Montana was active Monday on the north and east sides. The incident management team (IMT) reported Monday at 6 p.m. MDT that the estimated size is a quarter of a million acres — 250,000 acres.
There are 611 personnel assigned to the fire.
The IMT also reported that 16 homes have been destroyed as well as a significant amount of fencing and hay.
The executive order signed by the Governor of Montana Sunday will enable the state to mobilize National Guard helicopters (Blackhawks and CH47), some firefighters, and kitchens. It also makes it possible for local governments to access the Governor’s emergency fund if they have enacted their own 2 mil levy.
Monday night there is a chance of dry thunderstorms — lightning with little to no rain but with plenty of wind. Tuesday should be cooler with northeast winds at 10 mph.
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(Originally published at 10:23 a.m. MDT July 24, 2017)
(Updated at 1:20 p.m. MDT July 24, 2017)
A wildfire in eastern Montana grew to over 220,000 acres Sunday in a remote area miles from communities people from out of the state have ever heard of. The group of four fires are referred to as the Lodgepole Complex of fires and cover an area 40 miles by 20 miles. The incident management team Monday morning is calling the four fires 226,000 acres, a classification that we call “megafires” (that exceed 100,000 acres). The nearest community in the area that we could find on a map was Mosby on Highway 200, about three miles west of the fire. Mosby’s post office closed in 2015. The County Seat, Jordon, with a population of 343 in 2010, is about 30 air miles to the east.
(All articles on Wildfire Today about the Lodgepole Fire in Montana are tagged, and can be found at https://wildfiretoday.com/tag/lodgepole-complex/, with the most recent articles at the top.)
Lodgepole Fire. Posted on Inciweb July 23, 2017. Undated and uncredited.
The map of the Lodgepole Complex below shows the perimeter as mapped by an aircraft at 9 p.m. MDT July 23. Later that night the fire continued to spread north along the shore of Lake Fort Peck up to the main body of the lake where it makes a 180-degree turn. Our very unofficial estimate puts the size at close to a quarter of a million acres.
The north end of the fire has burned into the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge near Lake Fort Peck.
Map of the Lodgepole Complex fires at 9 p.m. MDT July 23, 2017. Click to enlarge.
On Sunday evening Montana Governor Steve Bullock signed an Executive Order “declaring a fire emergency to exist in the state”. The Governor said the order will provide additional firefighting resources.
On Sunday firefighters were able to stop the spread on the south end of the fire and continued to patrol the area which had little fire activity south of Highway 200. Other efforts on Sunday were on the northern portions of the fires protecting property and grazing areas after a wind shift from the south. Both fixed wing aircraft and helicopters have been heavily used on the fires.
Evacuation orders are in effect for portions of Garfield and Petroleum Counties.
The four fires began on July 19, 2017 after a lightning storm.
The National Situation Report said resources on the fire Sunday evening included 4 hand crews, 12 engines, and 3 helicopters for a total of 215 personnel. Monday morning the incident management team reported the number of personnel had increased to 300. These would be very low numbers for a fire much smaller than the Lodgepole Complex of fires.
The weather forecast for Mosby, MT on Monday features another Red Flag Warning with temperatures in the mid 80s to mid 90s and humidity levels around 20 percent with 10 to 20 mph north winds gusting at 22 to 28.
This wind out of the north may again, as in recent days, push smoke into neighboring states.
Forecast for the distribution of wildfire smoke at 5 p.m. MDT July 24, 2017. NOAA.
The fire is being managed by the Western Montana Type 2 Interagency Incident Management Team, Rick Connell Incident Commander.
A DC-10 drops on the Lodgepole Fire. Posted on Inciweb July 23, 2017. Undated and uncredited.
Above: This photo was taken four days ago (July 19, 2017) on the Detwiler Fire off Highway 49 just south of CAL FIRE’s county headquarters in Mariposa. Credit: Randy Johanson, EPN.
(Originally published at 10:10 a.m. PDT July 23, 2017)
On Saturday there was moderate growth on the north and northeast sides of the Detwiler Fire southeast of Coulterville, California. Most of the fire activity was in the northeast one-quarter of the fire.
There has been no change in the reported number of residences destroyed; it remains at 63, but the number of outbuildings increased to 67.
CAL FIRE is saying 76,000 acres have burned.
Evacuation orders for some areas have been lifted; CAL FIRE has the details.
We have not revised the map we published on July 21 because the minor growth of the perimeter would barely be noticeable.
This photo was taken four days ago (July 19, 2017) on the Detwiler Fire off Highway 49 just south of CAL FIRE’s county headquarters in Mariposa. Credit: Randy Johanson, EPN.
It will be hot and dry on the Detwiler Fire Sunday. The forecast for the Coulterville area calls for 101 degrees, 11 percent relative humidity, and winds out of the southwest and west at 6 mph.
Resources assigned to the fire include 501 fire engines, 96 hand crews, 20 helicopters, 88 dozers, and 65 water tenders for a total of 4,756 personnel.
The photos above were from four days ago, but the video below shows much quieter conditions today, Sunday.
Above: Smoke produced by the Lodgepole Complex of fires in Eastern Montana, July 21, 2017. Click here to see a 5-second animation of the movement of the smoke.
(UPDATED at 5:12 p.m. MDT July 22, 2017)
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(Originally published at 8:58 a.m. MDT July 22, 2017)
The Lodgepole Complex of wildfires in Eastern Montana produced copious quantities of smoke Friday that when mixed with smoke from fires farther west put a haze over areas in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and North Dakota.
(All articles on Wildfire Today about the Lodgepole Fire in Montana are tagged, and can be found at https://wildfiretoday.com/tag/lodgepole-complex/, with the most recent articles at the top.)
The Complex is comprised of four fires in Eastern Montana, according to Inciweb:
The Bridge Coulee Fire was discovered Wednesday afternoon, 16 miles north of Mosby, Mont. The fire is estimated at 50,000 acres as of Friday afternoon. This fire has crossed the Musselshell River into Petroleum County.
The Barker Fire, 20 miles north of Sand Springs, Mont. is estimated at 12,000 acres as of Friday afternoon.
The South Breaks Fire is estimated at 7,000 acres 27 miles northeast of Mosby, Mont.
The Square Butte Fire 19 miles north of Sand Springs, Mont., is 808 acres.
Combined, the fires have burned almost 70,000 acres.
Evacuations are taking place.
The Western Montana Type 2 Incident Management Team will be assuming command of the fires.
Bridge Coulee Fire. Photo by Jonathan Moor July 21, 2017.Bridge Coulee Fire. Photo by Jonathan Moor July 21, 2017.
(Originally published t 6:40 a.m. PDT July 22, 2017)
The Detwiler Fire in the California Sierra foothills was less active Friday than in previous days but there was growth of the fire on the northeast side 6 miles southeast of Coulterville and also in an area 5 miles south of the community. CAL FIRE is calling it 75,200 acres.
The evacuation order for Mariposa has been lifted but remains in effect for other areas. PG&E has re-energized some of the power lines along Highway 49.
An inversion overnight helped slow the spread of the fire. Friday night a weather station in Mariposa recorded a low of 62 degrees and a relative humidity that reached 65 percent before dawn. But it will be warm and dry on Saturday at Coulterville — 97 degrees, 19 percent RH, with 6 mph winds out of the southwest and west.
Fire officials have almost completed a survey of structures affected by the fire, reporting that 61 residences and 63 “minor structures” have been destroyed and another 13 residences damaged.
