Fire Fact Sheet, 9/28/09 0900
Incident: Macdonald Pass Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/28/2009
MacDonald Pass Fire Update
September 28, 2009
9:00 a.m.
Start date: September 25, 2009
Cause: Currently under investigation
Contact: Gary Hoshide, Information Officer
Phone: 406-241-7377
Location: 6 Miles Southwest of Helena, MT.
Current Size: Approximately 230 Acres
Resources Assigned:
Personnel: Approximately 221
Engines: 13
Water Tenders: 6
Heavy Equipment: 1 Bulldozer, 2 Feller-bunchers, 1 Skidgine
Helicopters: 4 (1 Heavy, 1 Medium, 2 Light)
Air Tankers: Available on Request
Closures: Clausen Road remains closed to all but residents. Residents of Rimini and Colorado Gulch are asked to remain attentive to the fire activity. Open burning remains closed in both Lewis & Clark and Jefferson Counties.
Current Status: The additional resources that arrived yesterday were employed on the fire and the progress made was measurable. Containment is estimated at 15%. Containment is primarily on the upper and southwest flanks of the fire.
Today's Planned Actions: Protect the Ten Mile Watershed and Walker Creek areas. Hold, improve and secure fire line currently built. Protect Structures and provide for firefighter and public safety.
Safety Concerns: Lewis and Clark County officials again asked residents to avoid Highway 12 West due to fire suppression activities and traffic. Protection for the City of Helena water treatment facility and water collection infrastructure plant is still a high priority.
Weather: Cooler temperatures and higher humidity last night helped suppression efforts. Forecasted temperatures are for 68 - 78 degrees today. Humidity levels will be 16 - 22 percent today. Winds will come from the Southeast at 5 - 15 miles per hour.
Cooperating Agencies: Baxendale Volunteer Fire Department, Helena National Forest, Bureau of Indian Affairs, City of Helena and Lewis and Clark County. Sheriff Leo Dutton, and Jess Secrest are functioning as unified Incident Commanders.
Mitigation Suggestions: Homeowners in the fire vicinity are encouraged to clear debris, excess brush and duff away from their homes to create "defensible space." More "defensible space" information can be found on https://inciweb.org/js/lib/tinymce/jscripts/tiny mce/plugins/www.firewise.org.
For further updates, please visit the national incident web site: http://www.inciweb.org/
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