Wednesday AM , Sept. 5, Pattengail Creek Fire
Incident: Pattengail Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 9/5/2007
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Melva Barton, Information Officer
Cause: Lightning Fire Start: July 13, 2007
Location: 10 miles southwest of Wise River, Montana, in the west Pioneer Mountains
Cooperating Agencies: Beaverhead County, Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, Butte-Silver Bow County, Bureau of Land Management, MT Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, MT Department of Transportation, USDA Forest Service
Total Personnel on Fire: 47 Acres: 15,297
The Pattengail Creek Fire received at least a half hour of precipitation during the day along with some scattered thunder showers. Firefighters will be monitoring the fire's spread on the ground and mapping by air. They will be ready for initial attack on any spot fires. Some resources will be released due to the cooler, moist weather.
Today's fire behavior: A better relative humidity, along with moisture will contribute to minimal fire perimeter spread on all flanks. The fire should remain "parked" south of Papoose Creek. The mechanism for fire spread has been spotting and alignment with wind and topography. Scattered precipitation reduces spotting potential. Firefighters will continue to expect surface fire under the canopy with single and group tree torching during periods of sunshine.
Weather today calls for a low pressure system which will move across southern Idaho today bringing scattered showers to our area. The relative humidity will remain good to excellent throughout today and tonight. Temperatures will range from 57 to 67 degrees. Winds will be 4 to 7 miles per hour.
Wise River Community Meetings: The next Wise River community meeting will be tomorrow, Wednesday, September 5th at 7:30 p.m. at the Community Center.
Fire Restrictions and Closures: For public safety, Forest lands in the north half of the West Pioneer Mountains, north of Lacy and McVey Creeks, may remain closed at least through September, until soaking rains come for several days in a row.
When hunting season begins, lots of other great hunting areas will remain open around the Beaverhead-Deer lodge National Forest. The east Pioneers, the south side of the west Pioneers, Anaconda Range and Big Hole will all be open in the Wise River District alone.
Southwest Montana remains in Stage 2 Fire Restrictions which prohibit smoking outdoors except in cleared, designated areas, and prohibit all open flame except gas stoves.
For more information on these fires check at www.inciweb.org.
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