Crews Make Progress on Cactus Fire
Incident: Cactus Wildland Fire
Released: 7/20/2008
Four helicopters and approximately 137 other firefighting personnel took advantage of the morning cloud cover, high relative humidity and light winds, completing handline around a portion of the Cactus Fire, located 10 miles west of Whitehall, MT near the small community of Pipestone. Containment of the 650-acre fire is estimated at 25%. Management of the fire will transition to Rick Kusicko's Northern Rockies Type 2 Incident Management Team on Monday, July 21st at 6:00 a.m.
As a safety precaution, the Pipestone Hot Springs road between State Highway #2 and Interstate 90 remains closed. In addition, the OHV route that connects to the Whiskey Gulch Trailhead has been closed from the Trailhead to a point just north of I-90 to provide for public health and safety due to the hazards associated with wildfire suppression and emergency operations. A temporary flight restriction zone also remains in effect over the fire area.
Residents in the Upper Rader Creek and Pipestone areas remain under a voluntary evacuation. No structures or personal property have been lost. The cause of the fire, which was reported on July 19th, is still under investigation.
Recent warm temperatures and gusty winds have dried out vegetation, increasing fire danger. Jefferson County officials have suspended open burning until further notice. The public is encouraged to be extra careful when recreating or traveling in the forest. Make sure campfires are completely extinguished before leaving your campsite and never park a vehicle over dry grass.
For more information, contact Terina Mullen at (406) 208-0934 or Dillon Dispatch at (406) 683-3975.
