Russian Flats Fact Sheet
Incident: Russian Flats Wildland Fire
Released: 8/8/2008
News Update
Russian Flats
Fire
August 8, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Gary Hoshide Phone: 406-423-5457
Fire Start: August 2, 2008 Cause: Lightning
Total Acres: 743 acres Containment: 72 percent
Fire History: The Russian Flats Fire is located 10 miles southwest of Sapphire Village, and 27 miles southwest of Stanford, MT on the Judith Ranger District of the Lewis and Clark National Forest. The fire, which started by lightning on August 2, was mapped, using GPS, at 743 acres. Warmer temperatures on Thursday allowed firefighters to find additional spot fires that have been smoldering for the last few days. Some spots are up to 1/2 mile away from the fire perimeter. Lightning forced firefighters to seek cover from a passing thunderstorm late Thursday. The estimated containment date remains August 10th.
Today's Operations: The fire did receive some measurable rain from yesterday's thunderstorms, Thursday. On Friday, crews working on the southern and eastern flanks will continue to find and contain the numerous spot fires along the fire perimeter. Firefighters working on the northern flank will use a portion of the Ettien Ridge Road as a fire line and work to extinguish hot spots north of the road in the heavy timber and steep terrain. Helicopters carrying buckets of water are supporting the firefighter's efforts.
Personnel on Fire: 239 firefighters are currently assigned to the incident including "hot shot" and initial attack crews, a helitack module, and various support personnel.
Equipment on Fire: Fire operations are supported by two helicopters and various engines.
Closures: The South Fork Judith Road (County Road 1 and Forest Service Road 487) is closed from its junction with Forest Road 825 south to its junction with Corral Creek (Forest Road 274).
Those National Forest lands, roads, and trails within the area bounded by the following description: Beginning at the confluence of the Middle Fork and South Fork of the Judith River, continuing upstream along the Middle Fork of the Judith River in a generally westward direction to its confluence with the Lost Fork of the Judith River, then continuing along the Lost Fork of the Judith River upstream in a generally southwesterly direction to it's intersection with Burris Trail (Forest Trail # 433), then southward along the Burris trail to the trail's intersection with Forest Road # 821 in the vicinity of Holiday Camp, then continuing along Forest Road # 821 in a generally southward direction to the road's intersection with the South Fork of the Judith River, and then following the South Fork of the Judith River downstream in a generally northeast direction to the South Fork's confluence with the Middle Fork of the Judith River.
Fire Weather: Mostly sunny and warm with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. The forecasted temperature is 80 to 90 degrees with relative humidity of 23 to 33 percent. Winds will be from the west up to 5 miles per hour shifting to northeast in the afternoon.
Special Remarks: The Russian Flats fire no longer presents a likely threat to structures.
Additional fire information, closure orders, and maps are available at http://www.inciweb.org/.
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