Final Pattengail Creek and Rat Creek Fire Update - September 21, 2007
Incident: Pattengail Creek Wildland Fire
Released: 9/21/2007
Final Pattengail Creek and Rat Creek Fire Update
Friday, September 21, 2007 @ 9:00 a.m.
Pattengail Creek Fire: Lightning started July 13, 2007
Estimated Size: 15,300 acres
Rat Creek Fire Cause: Lightning started August 9, 2007
Estimated Size: 25,327 acres
Combined total resources: 29 Personnel
The Pattengail Creek and Rat Creek Fires: Pattengail Creek Fire is being patrolled and monitored by firefighters in the Doolittle, Shaw and Papoose Creek areas. On the Rat Creek Fire, firefighters continue rehabilitating hand-constructed fire line.
The Incident Command Team staffing is being adjusted to a level appropriate for fires. Several team members will work their last day today or tomorrow and their functions will be continued. Smoke will continue to be visible from time to time on the fires. Firefighters remain ready to respond as needed, and the fire line rehabilitation work continues. Incident Commander Dave Henson and District Ranger Dennis Havig want to thank all those in the Big Hole Valley who provided support and assistance for the firefighting effort. Ranger Havig acknowledges the fires resulted in a lot of community stress, and thanks all for their patience. Dave Henson and his management team are headquartered at Wisdom.
Area closures are being evaluated on a daily basis, and are a balance of providing reasonable public access while providing for public and firefighter safety.
Fire restrictions have been lifted for the entire Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest for lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management's Dillon Field Office in Beaverhead and Madison Counties and for state and private forested lands under the Anaconda Unit of Montana DNRC in Granite, Deer Lodge and Silver Bow Counties, and the south half of Powell County.
The State 1 fire restrictions remain in effect on state, private forested, and some federal lands in Jefferson, Beaverhead and Madison Counties.
Fire Closures: The portion of the Rat Creek Fire closure in the Prairie Creek area has been opened to public use.
The open area is along Trail Creek Road (#106) from its junction with the Hogan Creek Trail (#9) to Gibbons Pass. From Gibbons Pass northerly along the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail to its junction with the Hogan Creek Trail #9 and south along Hogan Creek Trail to its junction with Trail Creek Road (#106). The Hogan Creek Trail itself is closed. The Continental Divide National Scenic Trail is open from Gibbons Pass to the Hogan Creek Trail. The remainder of the closure area boundary remains unchanged. Managers continue to study the landscape and fire behavior to determine ways to open more areas to the public.
Portions of the Pattengail Creek Fire closure remain open for Day Use between 5:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. These areas are in the Bryant Creek, Alder Creek, Meadow Creek, Harriet Lou and Doolittle Creek drainages. No camping is allowed in these areas.
For More Information call (406) 689-3243, or visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/b-d/
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