High Pressure Builds Over Fire Area
Incident: Sawtooth Fire Wildfire
Released: 9/17/2012
Greg Poncin Incident Commander
FIRE UPDATESawtooth
Update: September 17, 2012 @ 8:00a.m.
Update: September 17, 2012 @ 8:00a.m.
Contact: Fire Information 406-363-3556
Phones: Paula Short 406-370-5334
FIRE NAME: Sawtooth
DATE OF DETECTION: August 30, 2012
CAUSE: Lightning
CURRENT SIZE: 4,869 acres
CONTAINMENT: 30%
LOCATION: 7 miles WSW of Hamilton, Montana
AGENCY: Bitterroot National Forest
IMT: Greg Poncin's Type 1 Northern Rockies Incident Management Team
High Pressure Builds Over Fire Area
TODAY'S ACTIVITY:
Monday morning brings a change to the regional weather pattern with smoke inversions clearing earlier and a return to warmer and dryer conditions. Firefighters will continue scouting contingency lines between Canyon Creek and Blodgett Creek on the North side of the fire and to build direct handline upstream along Sawtooth Creek. The dozer lines and hard work of patrolling crews has kept the Eastern edge of the fire dormant for several days now. Crews will continue to improve those lines in that area.
Stage 2 evacuation orders have been lifted, however a Stage 1 Evacuation warning remains in effect. Residents should stay alert to changes in fire conditions and weather. Movement of large trailers or other large vehicles on the narrow roads of areas nearest to the fireline is discouraged to maintain quick access for firefighters and equipment. Residents will continue to see activity from helicopters as they work to contain and control hotspots. Pockets of fuel well within the perimeter may flare up as the day heats.
PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRE: There are approximately 422 personnel assigned, including 11 crews, 13 engines, 7 water tenders, 1 dozers, and 5 helicopters.
PLANS FOR TODAY: Firefighters will continue to work on the contingency lines south of Sawtooth Creek to Roaring Lion Creek. Helicopters will be available again today for bucket drops and aerial reconnaissance.
There will no longer be a nightshift patrolling the residential areas overnight with the change in the evacuation level back to the larger stage 1 area. Crews will continue to camp out near the fire on the Northern perimeter. This allows quicker access to critical areas as they work to contain any spread of the fire into the Barley Creek drainage.
Fire managers will fly the fire today, concentrating on management options in Barley Creek and Sawtooth Creek to limit fire spread in and to scout the fire as it moves to the West deeper into the wilderness.
Sawtooth Creek Trail #123, Roaring Lion Trail 124, Ward Mountain Trail #208, and Canyon Creek Trail #525 are closed due to fire activity. Blodgett Campground is also closed.
For further information, go to www.inciweb.org. or email us at sawtoothfire@gmail.com
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