19 Mile Fire Update-9/4-8:00 Pm
Incident: 19 Mile Wildfire
Released: 9/4/2012
Issue date: September 4, 2012 Start Date: August 28, 2012
Fire Information Phone Number's: 1-877-608-0026
Cause: Lightning
Location: 10 miles south east of Butte, MT
Current Size: 4083 acres Containment: 81%
Resources Assigned: 7-twenty person crews, 34 engines, 12 pieces of heavy equipment, 3 helicopters, 397 total personnel.
Closures: BLM has closed OHV trail/connector routes #24, 25, 26 from Whiskey Gulch Trailhead to a point just north of I-90, located T2N R6W, sections 23-26 and 35. The Forest Service has closed Rader Creek/Moose Creek Road #240 from Homestake Pass T2N R7W, Section 13 to Highway 2, T1N R6W Section 16. Fire officials are asking the public to avoid using Highway 2 between Butte and Whitehall to provide for the safety of firefighters and the public.
Evacuation and closure orders were lifted for the public to the interior of the fire on Sunday.
Current Status: Crews worked at falling hazardous snags within the interior of the fire perimeter. Small burnouts were utilized to improve the perimeter line, as well as continuing to mop-up hotspots in the west and northwest part of the fire. A boulder field with a heavy duff layer is hampering mop up in the along the northern edge of the fire. Mop-up around and within the remaining green islands continued. The crews are being aided by engines and water tenders providing a water source essential to thorough mop-up in these rough and rocky conditions. Infrared flights are being used daily to assist crews on the ground to locate and extinguish hotspots.
Planned Actions: A possible inversion is predicted for today possibly hampering air operations. The focus today will be more mopup in the interior around structures and green islands. Crews are being moved to the northwest corner to assist to improve the existing line in difficult terrain. One crew has been demobilized from the incident to assist with another fire. Full mop up continues within a 120-130' radius from structures and securing perimeter firelines. Five engines will be assist night shift crew in the interior of the fire.
Weather: Evening winds of 7-12 mph out of the west, with an approaching dry cold front expected to arrive Wednesday evening with increasing winds.
Remarks: Information boards with post fire materials were established at Highway 2 and Toll Mtn., Rader Creek, and Cold Springs Roads. The public is encouraged to stay away from locations where air operations are underway.
Jefferson County Sheriff's Office has confirmed 14 primary residences and an undetermined number of additional structures have been lost, along with a camp trailer, a semi-trailer and numerous cars, trucks and ATV's.
Cooperating Agencies: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Butte BLM, Jefferson County, local and rural volunteer fire departments, MT DNRC.
The fire is listed on Inciweb: www.inciweb.org
