Monday PM September 17, Pattengail Creek Fire Upda
Incident: Pattengail Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 9/17/2007
NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Vance Persing, 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: 4 Acres: 15,300 Containment: 35%
This will be the last evening update.
The Pattengail Creek Fire: Some rain was received on the fire today, however there is still smoke showing at various locations on the west side of the fire. Firefighters will continue monitoring; there will be an engine on patrol tomorrow. A grader will begin working on the BLM section of the contingency line tomorrow.
Tomorrow's fire behavior: Burning will be slowed by the recent precipitation. Fuels will still be smoking in different locations as the heavier fuels are consumed.
Tomorrow's Weather: There is a 20% chance of showers after noon. It will be partly sunny with a high near 59 degrees. Winds are predicted to be calm becoming southwest 5-8 mph.
Fire Restrictions and Closures: The Forest Service has opened portions of the Pattengail Fire closure for Day Use. Overall closure boundaries remain unchanged. Effective, September 15, day use is allowed in portions of the Bryant Creek, Alder Creek, Meadow Creek, Harriet Lou and Dolittle Creek drainages. Hunters and others are allowed to use these areas from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm. No Camping is allowed in the area.
For public safety, some forest lands in the north half of the West Pioneer Mountains may remain closed at least through September, until soaking rains come for several days in a row.
Stage 1 fire restrictions are currently in effect. Campfires are banned outside of designated recreation sites. Fires are also banned in wood burning stoves in canvas tents and in stone fire rings. Smoking is prohibited except in buildings, vehicles, and areas cleared of vegetation in a three-foot diameter.
Hunting areas remain open around the Beaverhead-Deer lodge National Forest in spite of the limited closures. The east Pioneers, the south side of the west Pioneers, Anaconda Range and Big Hole will all be open in the Wise River District.
For more information on the fire and the closure check at http://www.inciweb.org/.
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