Fact Sheet 9/26/09
Incident: Macdonald Pass Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/26/2009
DAILY INFORMATION FACT SHEET
DATE: 9-26-09 TIME: 12:00
INCIDENT: MacDonald Pass Fire
INFORMATION OFFICER: Patrick McKelvey PHONE: 406-459-8225
LOCATION: 6 Miles Southwest of Helena, Montana
JURISDICTION: U.S. Forest Service, Baxendale VFD
INCIDENT COMMANDER: Unified Command with Leo Dutton Lewis & Clark County Sheriff, Marvin Carpenter, Helena Ranger District and Dave Mason, Baxendale Fire Department.
AGENCIES: USFS, MT-DNRC, Lewis & Clark County Sheriff, L&C County Rural Fire Council.
RESOURCES:
PERSONNEL:100
ENGINES: Lewis & Clark County VFD's
Heavy Equipment: Bulldozer 1, Feller-Buncher 2
HELICOPTERS: 3
AIR TANKERS: 2 assigned to the fire
A human caused fire, the MacDonald Pass fire is burning Southwest of Helena, Montana. The fire remained active throughout the night with an increase of size to 289 acres current estimate. No injuries to date.
Terrain and topography, combined with the fuels condition of high mortality, mountain pine beetle-killed Lodgepole Pine are positioned for significant fire activity.
Evacuations are in place in the immediate area of Clausen road at the base of McDonald Pass, with numerous homes in front of the estimated fire path.
A Red Flag warning is in effect from noon today through midnight tonight with increasing winds forecasted to 40 mph over the fire area. This is a serious concern for firefighters.
Crews were on the fire all night and additional resources joined them this morning, with more on order to arrive throughout the day.
A community meeting is planned for 7:00 pm this evening at the Baxendale Fire Hall.
SPECIAL CONCERNS: Lewis and Clark County officials are urging motorists to avoid travel on Highway 12 W and MacDonald Pass.
