Pattengail Creek Fire Update, August 2, 2007
Incident: Pattengail Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 8/3/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Susan Zornek-Stevens, Information
Date: Thursday, August 2, 2007 Phone: 406-832-3178 (Wise River District)
Fire Start: July 13, 2007 Cause: Lightning
Total Acres: 3502 acres Containment: 25%
Location: 11 miles southwest of Wise River, in the west Pioneer Mountains, about 40 miles southwest of Butte, MT
The fire continues to burn, making runs along the fire perimeter. The helicopter assigned to the fire continues to work on hot spots near the line. Two field observers on the fire are checking the line, and monitoring conditions.
Fire personnel were able to accurately map the fire perimeter yesterday, due to less smoke obscuring the fire perimeter. This accounts for the reduction in acreage from 4295 acres down to 3502 acres.
At Wednesday evening's community meeting, the Long Term Implementation Plan was presented to the attendees. Residents were pleased at the amount of thought and preparation that had gone into the plan. Local officials presented ideas for structure protection which individual home owners could easily implement.
Weather: Tonight, mostly cloudy areas of smoke with isolated showers and thunderstorms. The best chance monsoonal moisture appears to be shunted into southwest Montana. This moisture will combine with unstable conditions to produce isolated to scatted showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours Friday.
Public Meeting: The next meeting will be at the Wise River Community Center, Saturday, August 4th, at 7:30 PM. Topics will include a talk on the Western Spruce Budworm and the Pine Bark Beetles, and a presentation on propane and gasoline tank safety in regards to fire.
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.
