ANNOUNCEMENT
Gallatin National Forest Area Closure Lifted
For Immediate Release Contact: Karen Tuscano: (406) 223-2028Date: October 12, 2012 Marna Daley: (406) 587-6703 Pine Creek Fire Area Closure Lifted, Yellowstone R.D., Gallatin N.F. Livingston, MT -... more
Approximate Location
Incident Overview
The Pine Creek Fire started on August 29, 2012 at approximately 3:00 p.m. It started near the river and quickly burned through the town of Pine Creek, and then into the steep, inaccessible terrain of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness on the Gallatin National Forest. Local firefighters, helicopters, and retardant airtankers were able to save many homes, the Pine Creek Church, and the Pine Creek Caf�; however five homes and several outbuildings were lost that first day of the fire. The fire moved to the south on private land the second day, threatening more homes. Firefighters were able to stop any movement on that flank of the fire by the first of September. Fire burned through parts of the Pine Creek Campground with mostly low intensity, and crews worked to remove hazard trees. Only a small portion of the Pine Creek Trail was impacted by fire. The North Fork of Deep Creek is currently the most active part of the fire. Fire continues to smolder in the very dry duff and downed woody fuels in the rocky terrain on the upper third of the north facing slope. That area cannot safely be accessed by firefighters on the ground. A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team has assessed the fire area, and rehabilitation efforts will be taking place this fall and into next year. Fire personnel will continue to monitor this fire until the fire area receives a substantial amount of moisture.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Human (under Investigation) |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday August 29th, 2012 approx. 03:05 PM |
| Location | 9 miles South of Livingston |
| Incident Commander | Shanafelt |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 1 |
|---|---|
| Size | 8,572 acres |
| Percent Contained | 85% |
| Fuels Involved | 10 Timber (litter and understory). Heavy dead standing and down. Gray-stage beetle kill trees. |
| Fire Behavior | Creeping and smoldering. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | The Pine Creek Fire is being monitored by Gallatin National Forest fire personnel. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Low |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extreme |
| Remarks | The area closure on the Gallatin National Forest around the Pine Creek Fire has been lifted. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 6 G14 mph SE |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 59 degrees |
| Humidity | 29% |
