High Wind Warning for Pump Station Fire Area
Incident: Pump Station Wildland Fire
Released: 8/1/2008
Pump Station Fire Crews Battling High Winds
(Reg Flag Warning and Big Hole River Closure)
DILLON, MONT., August1, 2008, 4:00 PM - A Red Flag Warning issued Friday afternoon because of high winds and low humidity have fire officials battling the Pump Station Fire concerned. The warning is in effect until 9 PM. The fire has grown to about 160 acres, and is burning in timber, sagebrush and grass in upper Charcoal Gulch on ground managed by the Bureau of Land Management close to the Fleecer Mountain Wildlife Management Area. Containment late Friday afternoon is estimate to be 35-40%.
Two 20 person Forest Service crews arrived Friday to help 25 local firefighters from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and Butte-Silver Bow County. Two helicopters continue to dump water on hot spots, and 6 fire engines and 3 water tenders are supporting the ground crews.
The helicopters are dipping water from the Big Hole River because of the close proximity to the fire and short turn-around time. As a safety precaution, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have closed about 1.2 miles of the Big Hole from Silver Bridge to the Divide Bridge to all recreational activity. The closure will be in effect until further notice.
The fire was reported Thursday afternoon, about 18 miles southwest of Butte and just north of Montana Highway 43.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Fire danger in Southwest Montana is "high" to "very high." Officials use a five-step scale to describe how readily fires will spread. The five fire-danger ratings are low, moderate, high, very high, and extreme. The rating is based on wind, temperatures, and moisture in grasses, shrubs and trees.
