Demob in Progress on Little People Fire
Incident: Little People Wildfire
Released: 9/8/2009
Little People fire:
- Two crews are putting earthen "water bars" into firelines to slow erosion on the 126 acre fire above the headwaters of Pryor Creek. An infrared heat detector flight Tuesday morning found few hot spots near the line. The fire was contained Monday evening.
- The small team assembled to fight the fire will disband Wednesday, as responsibility for the fire returns to local firefighters.
- During the incident, local BIA resources with the help of about twelve other experienced personnel managed heavy and light air tankers, up to five helicopters, and five crews, plus support functions such as communications, food and base camp.
- Crews came from the Blackfeet, Crow, Ft. Peck, and Rocky Boy Reservations and the Bighorn National Forest.
- Helitack came from Yellowstone National Park with a high-altitude Lama helicopter, and the Boise National Forest with a Bell 212 helicopter, to join BIA helitack, and Bureau of Land Management, Montana State, and private resources working on the fire. Forest Service smokejumpers dropped in from Missoula.
- More than 170 personnel were at work at the height of the incident. The Little People and Flatlip fires near Pryor were managed by Incident Commanders Randy Pretty On Top and Bob Roberts. Pretty On Top said, "Highly experienced people coming together made the difference."
Barbie fire:
- At noon Tuesday, two National Park Service engines, a Big Horn County Rural Fire engine, and a Crow BIA engine responded to a fire on War Man Loop near Fort Smith. Burning in cattails, grass and brush, the Barbie fire temporarily threatened three homes.
- The fire burned 10 to 15 acres.
- The fire was controlled by 4:00 p.m..
