Bielenburg Fire Now 50% Contained
Incident: Bielenburg Fire Wildfire
Released: 7/21/2009
DEER LODGE, MONT., JULY 21, 2009, 9:15 p.m.--Firefighters had a good day Tuesday (July 21) building fireline on the south and east flanks of the Bielenburg fire, 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge and 10 miles north of Anaconda. The fire is now 50 percent contained.
The fire was quiet on Tuesday, fire officials said.
The fire was mapped Tuesday by aircraft and global-positioning equipment. This more accurate mapping resulted in officials now saying the fire has burned 175 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Two hundred firefighters are at work at the fire. Tuesday they used helicopters to carry water to hot spots and shuttle equipment. They also set up a fire camp.
Wednesday, firefighters plan to improve the firelines they built Tuesday.
They will also look over the west flank of the burned area. On Tuesday, they tied fireline into retardant dropped along the west side on Sunday. If the fire remains cool on the west flank, there may not be a need to build fireline there.
If all goes according to plan, some firefighters will start demobilizing from the Bielenburg fire on Wednesday evening.
There's a new phone number for information about the Bielenburg fire. Call (406) 693-7608. There's also information about the fire posted at www.inciweb.org/incident/1744/
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