Fri August 3rd Evening Update
Incident: Sarpy Hills Complex Wildfire
Released: 8/3/2012
Fire Update
Sarpy Hills Complex
August 3, 2012 4:00 PM
Contact: Fire Information Officer
Message Phone: 406-542-4321
Quiet afternoon follows loss; US Highway 212 open to Ashland
Grey skies Friday morning gave way to sun on the Sarpy Hills complex this afternoon but crews have had a very good day on the Sarpy Hills Complex. The Complex has merged into one large fire. Twenty-two Crow residents, from the area where a home burned last night along US 212, signed up to stay at a Red Cross Shelter tonight at First Congregational Church in Hardin. US 212 reopened from Interstate 90 east to Ashland at 2:00 p.m. today.
Morning drizzle slowed fire activity so the only very active region of the fire this afternoon was the 2500 acre portion that moved south of US 212 Thursday night. Four engines, a dozer, two skidgines, and a hotshot crew are working on that portion of the fire. Fire managers had great praise for the crews who attacked the fire last night, including the local crews from Crow Agency "They did a great job slowing that fire last night, they really saved our bacon," said John Favro, Night Operations Chief with the Northern Rockies Team.
Across the rest of the 82,000 + acre incident, engines are soaking hot areas near the fire edge and more than ten crews are digging and mixing soils with ashes as they begin the work of mopping up. They are eliminating heat that could resurge when temperatures zoom back upward through the weekend and on Monday.
High temperatures Monday through Wednesday in Crow Agency should beat 93 degrees each day. "There is a tremendous amount of fire out there," said Randy Pretty On Top, who led forces south of 212 overnight. Warm sun returns Saturday with a chance of thunderstorms next week.
For photos and more info, visit Inciweb on the internet: http://inciweb.org/incident/3081/ .
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