Cascade Fire 08/07/08 7:00 AM
Incident: Cascade Wildland Fire
Released: 8/7/2008
The Cascade Fire is six miles west of Red Lodge, Montana. Bennett's Type 1 Northern Rockies Interagency Incident Management Team is fighting the fire. Brad McBratney's Type 3 Team is taking over the fire from Bennett's Northern Rockies Incident Management Team today, August 7 at 6:00 p.m.
Stage 1 Fire restrictions are in effect throughout the Beartooth Ranger District. Call the Beartooth Ranger District for further information at (406) 446-2103.
Yesterday's Activities: Crews mopped up and secured lines on the north, east and south sides of the fire. Dozer lines along the controlled perimeter were rehabilitated. Structure protection equipment was removed in most areas. Five thousand pounds of cargo was flown off the fire today. .
Today's Planned Activities: On the east side of the line, crews will continue to mop up 300' into the fire, falling hazard trees that may threaten the established line and placing water bars along the line to minimize erosion potential. Crews will also mop up from Basin Creek Trailhead to the rock face, and patrol West Fork road from Basin Creek Trailhead west to Senia houses. The western half of the fire will be patrolled from the air.
Public Meeting: A public meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. today, August 7 at the Lions Club Park Gazebo. Incident Commander Bennett will give an overview of the fire and introduce Incident Commander Brad McBratney.
Resources assigned: 5 hand crews, 2 engines, 1 dozer and 5 helicopters for a total of 293 personnel.
Weather and Fire Behavior: Forecast for Thursday is isolated thunderstorms in the morning with scattered wet thunderstorms in the afternoon. Maximum temperature is 80-85 in the bottom and 72-80 at the top. Minimum humidity will be 19-24% in the bottom and 24-29 % at the top. Winds are predicted 10-15 mph with gusts around 20 mph around 9:00 p.m.
Evacuations, Closures: All evacuations for Grizzly Peak have been lifted. All trails in the area closure remain closed including the Silver Run trails. Under the direction of the Carbon County Sheriff, the West Fork of Rock Creek roadblock at the forest boundary has been moved to Silver Run road. Cabin owners with property in Basin Creek will be allowed to go back to their cabins from 8:00 am until dark, but must present a current identification. Access to the ski area is prohibited. Due to the hazard created by standing burned trees next to the West Fork of Rock Creek Road, no travel will be permitted beyond the Basin Creek area until further notice. The Senia area is closed due to safety hazards. The Custer National Forest has issued an area closure order that includes most of the trails and back country in the West Fork drainage. Cabin owners in Lions Club Camp are allowed back in via Lake Fork Road per Beartooth Creek Ranger District direction.
Other information sources: http://www.inciweb.org/, http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/sitreprt.pdf or http://www.firewise.org/fw youcanuse/index.htmredlodge.com, www.fs.fed.us/r1/custer
Cooperating Agencies: Montana Highway Patrol, Carbon County Sheriff, Custer NF, BLM, NPS, BIA, FWS and Montana DNRC and VFD's from the surrounding area including Red Lodge, Roberts, Absarokee, Columbus, Joliet, and Belfry.
