Pattengail Creek Fire Update, July 31, 2007 Evenin
Incident: Pattengail Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 8/1/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Susan Zornek-Stevens, Information
Date: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 Phone: 406-832-3178 (Wise River District)
Fire Start: July 13, 2007 Cause: Lightning
Total Acres: 4,295 acres Containment: 15%
Location: 11 miles southwest of Wise River, in the west Pioneer Mountains, about 40 miles southwest of Butte, MT
With wind gusts of 30 MPH, and low relative humidity, the Pattengail Creek Fire showed signs of "waking up". The troublesome spot fire on the northwest part of the fire flared up again making a 10 acre run before backing into the black and slowing down. Two other spot fires, one on the north central perimeter, and another on the eastern flank, are also putting up heavy smoke with occasional torching. Crews are continuing to advise residents who live in the predicted evacuation areas about specific defensible space measures they can implement.
Weather: High Pressure will develop Wednesday, producing additional warming and extremely dry surface conditions. As the atmosphere continues to warm, the instability will increase and the potential for plume dominated fires will increase late Wednesday and especially Thursday. Easterly winds from 5-10 mph will switch to the north in the afternoon. Temperatures will be in the upper 80's in the valleys, and middle 80's on the ridges. Relative Humidity will range from 9-14% in the valleys to 13-23% on the ridges. No precipitation is expected before Saturday.
Public Meeting: The Public Meeting scheduled for Wednesday Aug 1st at 7:30 PM in the Wise River Community Hall. Topics to be covered include a talk on pine and fir beetles, also available funding resources to local residents whose homes and structures might be threatened by the fire. A contract logger will be at the meeting to talk to residents about brush and tree removal.
Fire Restrictions and Closures: Stage 2 fire restrictions are in place on public lands in southwest Montana. For public safety, the north end of the west Pioneer Mountains has an Area Closure.
Check http://www.inciweb.org/ or www.fs.fed.us/r1/bdnf/ for more detailed information.
