Bear Gulch Fire Update for 8-24-2008
Incident: Bear Gulch Wildfire
Released: 8/24/2008
Update
Bear Gulch Fire
August 24, 2008
THIS WILL BE THE LAST DAILY UPDATE FOR THE BEAR GULCH FIRE
Location: Twelve miles east of Townsend
and north of U.S. Highway 12
Start Date: August 18, 2008
Cause: Under investigation
Current Size: 755 acres
Containment: 96 percent
Contact: Gary Hoshide, Information Officer
Phone: (406) 266-4666
Beginning August 25th, the Bear Gulch Fire Information phone number (above) will no longer be in service. For information related to this fire, please call the Townsend Ranger District Office at 406-266-3425.
Camp Tours: The public is invited to afternoon tours of fire camp on Sunday. Tours will begin at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.. The camp is located at the Broadwater County Fairgrounds, east of Townsend. Please check-in with camp security at the main entrance to the camp.
Resources Assigned: Jess Secrest's Type 2 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team is managing the fire and 233 firefighters and support personnel are assigned to the incident. One helicopter is assigned.
Closures: All area and roads east of the Broadwater County Road/North Fork of Deep Creek Rd (423) to the point where the road crosses between T7N, R4E, sections 7 and 8. Then directly east approx. 1/4 mile to the North Fork of Deep Creek. Then along the south bank of the North Fork of Deep Creek to the point where the stream intersects the section line between sections 9 and 10 in T7N, R4E. Then south along this section line for approximately 1.5 miles to its intersection with Forest Road 4181 (West Fork Cabin Gulch Road). Then south on Forest Road 4181 to its intersection with Forest Road 423 (East Fork of Cabin Gulch Road). Then all lands west of Forest Road 423 to its junction with US Highway 12 (FS 423 remains open). Then west from Forest Road 423 to the Forest boundary at mile marker 14. The closure applies to National Forest System Lands administered by the Helena National Forest.
Current Status: Yesterday, crews continued with 100 percent mop up of all hotspots within 120 feet of the fireline.
Planned Actions: Today, firefighting crews will continue mopping up100 % of hotspots within 120 to 300 feet inside completed fireline. A helicopter will continue to support firefighter efforts. Suppression rehabilitation to reduce soil erosion will also continue to be applied to burned areas. As suppression actions wrap-up, equipment and crews will be demobilized. On Monday, a Type 3 organization under the leadership of Jay Lindgren will assume command of the fire.
Weather: Any remaining hot spots should be visible on Sunday with temperatures in the 90's, southwest winds of 15-18 mph, and relative humidity down to 10%.
Remarks: With warmer weather returning over area, the forest fire danger remains high.
Cooperating Agencies: Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Broadwater County, U.S. Forest Service.
For further information and maps, please visit the national inciweb site: http://www.inciweb.org/.
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