Crews Make Progress on Little People Fire
Incident: Little People Wildfire
Released: 9/5/2009
Little People fire:
- The Little People fire crept up to 126 acres by Saturday midday, but managers hope to keep the fire's growth in check after Sunday's challenging weather. The fire is 80% contained.
- Crews are ferrying to the fireline each day on helicopters, rather than make their way through a rocky streambed to hike up canyon slopes. The fire's edge covers a 1200' change in elevation.
- Five crews have come from the Blackfeet, Crow, Ft. Peck and Rocky Boy Reservations, and the Bighorn National Forest in Wyoming. Four helicopters are working the fire.
- Burning mostly on the forest floor, fire has spread both uphill and downhill, as dead logs and material burn enough to bounce downcanyon.
- Firefighters have used the support of air resources to make progress building line. The fire also can cross retardant lines, unless ground crews are building fireline at the same time.
Flatlip fire:
- The Flatlip fire was contained Friday high on the wall of Lost Creek canyon.
- Sixteen smokejumpers completed mop-up of that fire Saturday. They expect a flight Saturday evening from the Flatlip fire direct to the Little People fire, where they will "spike out" or camp on the mountainside in a safe location near the fireline, to begin work at sunrise Sunday.
Weather:
- Hot temperatures and low humidities will precede a strong windy cold front crossing the Reservation Sunday night.
- High temperatures will remain about 91 degrees Sunday on the Little People fire, and 99 degrees in Crow Agency, with gusty southwest winds blowing up to 25 mph.
- The front may bring scattered dry thunderstorms Sunday night, then a much cooler Labor day with 30% chance of thunderstorms.
