Evening Update From Sawtooth Fire
Incident: Sawtooth Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/6/2012
Northern Rockies
Incident Management Team
Tom Heintz,
Incident Commander
SAWTOOTH
DAILY INFORMATION FACT SHEET
Date: September 6, 2012 Time: 9:00 p.m.
Incident: Sawtooth Wildland Fire Information Phone: 406-363-3556
7:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Location: Sawtooth Fire is about 7 miles west southwest of Hamilton, MT
Approximate Size: 420 acres Containment : 5%
Incident Commander: Tom Heintz, Northern Rockies Type-II Incident Management Team
Resources:
Hand Crews: (2) Type I crews; (3) Type II crews
Air Support: (2) Type 1 helicopter ;(2) Type 2 helicopter ;(3) Type 3 helicopter.
Total personnel: 197
Injuries: 2 Cost to Date: $614,000
Fire Update: Today was another good day operationally on the fire, and in the contingency planning effort. The Northeast edge of the fire is where the largest amount of fire retardant was applied by helicopter this afternoon. 7,800 gallons of retardant was mixed and used today at the portable batch plant located near the Incident Command Post. The material is brought in as a dry powder and batch mixed on site, then pumped into large (6,000 gallon capacity) steel tanks. The delivering helicopters then dip the retardant out of the tank, referred to as a "Helowell", and drop it as requested by operations. The use of this strategy allows us to apply the retardant in places that require the kind of accuracy it provides.
The information booth located at Highway 93 and Roaring Lion Road was quite busy today as residents and travelers alike stopped to get information on the fire situation around our area. Fire Information is shared throughout the region, but situations can change rapidly and the public is asked to check near the fire they are interested in for the latest news.
2 hand crews will remain on the top of Downing Mountain again tonight. The water hose lay along Sawtooth Creek continues to be advanced and more system parts have been put in place.
Weather is expected to be favorable tomorrow with temperatures in the low 60's, humidity to 33%, and winds calm up to 5 mph from the south then northwest in the afternoon. Conditions will be somewhat warmer, drier and breezier on Saturday with the return of high pressure.
The information telephone line at the ICP is 406-363-3556. An information trailer on Highway 93 at Roaring Lion Road will be staffed from noon until 7 pm each day.
Closures: Sawtooth Creek Trail #123 remains closed due to fire activity.
Special Concerns: New fire starts! Attention: Stage 1 Fire Restrictions remain in effect for this area. Information on fire restrictions can be found at http://firerestrictions.us/mt/.
More Information: Visit Inciweb at http://www.inciweb.org/, email sawtoothfire@gmail.com or call fire information 406-363-3556.
