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July Fire: Evacuations lifted for Landusky

Bill GabbertJuly 8, 2017July 8, 2017UncategorizedJuly Fire, Montana

Map July Fire — July Fire, July 8, 2017. The red line represents uncontrolled fire edge and the yellow dots are structures. This is a portion of the map that was developed by the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team. Click to enlarge.

(Originally published at 6 a.m. MDT July 8, 2017)

With the spread of the July Fire slowing and firefighters making progress to contain it, the residents of the evacuated town of Landusky, Montana will be able to return to their homes at 10 a.m. Saturday. However the road closure and evacuation will remain in effect for non-residents.

The Incident Management Team provided the following information Friday evening:

The success of the fire management in the Landusky area was largely facilitated by the efforts of the community in reducing fuels around their homes. Their efforts to make their properties more Firewise helped to both slow the fire and provide safer, more manageable working conditions for the firefighters.

We experienced moderate fire behavior as temperatures increased and the humidity dropped [Friday] afternoon. Additional heavy equipment arrived [Friday], including feller-bunchers and skidders, and is being used on the northwest side of the fire. Aerial resources, including three helicopters with water buckets, also assisted firefighters in holding and reinforcing firelines.

July fire causes evacuations west of Zortman, Montana

Bill GabbertJuly 6, 2017July 7, 2017UncategorizedJuly Fire, Montana2 Comments

At 6 p.m. on Thursday the incident management team reported that the fire had burned 8,381 acres.

Above: Firefighters on the July Fire near Zortman, Montana

(Originally published at 12:28 p.m. MDT July 6, 2017)
(Updated at 12:50.m. MDT July 7, 2017)

Here is another updated map of the July Fire at Zortman, Montana current as of 3:30 a.m. MDT July 7, 2017. Click the map to see a larger version. We will post additional information when it becomes available.

map july wildfire zortman montana — The red, brown, and yellow dots on the map of the July Fire represent heat detected by a satellite. The red dots are the most recent, recorded at 3:30 a.m. MDT July 7, 2017. It is likely that light fuels that burned in some of the gray-colored areas did not retain heat long enough for the next satellite overflight, so red dots did not show up in some locations. Click to enlarge.

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(Updated at 6:04 p.m. MDT July 6, 2017)

The July Fire in northern Montana west of Zortman was very active Thursday. A change in wind direction pushed the fire to the northwest in the general direction of the community of Landusky and the Little Rockies Christian Camp. A mandatory evacuation is in effect for Landusky; the camp is currently vacant and the caretaker has left. The fire is east and southeast of both locations.

The weather forecast for the fire area at 3,600 feet elevation predicts the wind out of the southeast will continue on Thursday, blowing at 9 mph gusting up to 15. The temperature will top out at 90 degrees with a minimum relative humidity of 20 percent. The actual conditions at Zortman at 3:30 p.m. were 86 degrees, 20 percent RH, and winds out of the east and southeast at 8 to 11, gusting to 18.

In the updated map below (click it to see a larger version) which shows data from 1:32 p.m. MDT on Thursday, the fire has moved further to the west and appears to be less than a mile away from Landusky.

map July Fire Zortman Montana — The red, brown, and yellow dots on the map of the July Fire represent heat detected by a satellite. The red dots are the most recent, recorded at 1:32 p.m. MDT July 6, 2017. It is likely that light fuels that burned in some of the gray-colored areas did not retain heat long enough for the next satellite overflight, so red dots did not show up in some locations. Click to enlarge.

At 6 p.m on Thursday it had burned 8,381 acres, which is about four times the last reported acreage.

A Type 2 incident management team assumed command of the fire at 6 a.m. Thursday.

The July Fire, July 6, 2017. Inciweb photo.

Firefighters July Fire Zortman Montana — Firefighters on the July Fire. Inciweb photo.

The July Fire burns 1,000+ acres near Zortman, Montana

Bill GabbertJuly 4, 2017July 4, 2017UncategorizedJuly Fire, Montana2 Comments

Above: Photo of the July Fire. Inciweb, July 3, 2017.

(Originally published at 8:30 p.m. MDT July 4, 2017)
(Updated at 10:16 p.m. MDT July 4, 2017)

(At about 10 p.m. July 4 the BLM said the July fire had burned 1,669 acres and had 136 personnel assigned.)

One of the first significant wildfires in Montana this year is burning near the small town of Zortman off U.S. Highway 191 in the north-central part of the state 75 miles south of the Canadian border.

There is not a lot of timber in that part of the state but it is burning in the southern end of a 60,000-acre area of mixed timber on Bureau of Land Management lands.

3-D Map July Fire Montana — 3-D map of the July Fire, as of 2:30 p.m. MDT July 4, 2017.

It is being battled by firefighters from BLM,
U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Phillips County Volunteers.

After it was discovered Monday afternoon it was attacked by 11 engines, 1 water tender, 4 air tankers (1 heavy and 3 SEATs), 3 helicopters, and 8 smokejumpers from West Yellowstone.

Our very unofficial estimate based on satellite data indicates that as of 2:30 p.m. MDT on Tuesday it had burned approximately 1,150 acres.

Zortman, with a population of 69 in the 2010 census, could be threatened by the fire west of town on Wednesday, with the forecast of Red Flag Warnings, 13 percent relative humidity, and northwest winds of 5 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph.

In the video below, apparently the videographer missed the air tanker that is usually a few seconds behind the lead plane after they pop smoke.