Incident: Rugby Creek
Released: 7/26/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Rugby Creek Fire
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Contact: Doug Dodge, Acting Public Affairs Officer
Lewis and Clark National Forest
Phone: 406-791-7754
Website: http://www.inciweb.org/incident/872/
Please Note: This is the last release from the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team A.
Today firefighters are continuing to walk the fire perimeter and interior to suppress any remaining hot spots. The fire is currently 75% contained with an expected full containment by 8:00 p.m. tonight. Aggressive initial attack efforts assisted greatly in that it helped keep the fire at bay with less than one acre of private land burned.
Residents in the affected areas are being allowed back in their homes near the fire area. Yesterday's cooler weather and rain further assisted in extinguishing the fire.
The Rocky Mountain Area Incident Management Team will transition the fire back to the Lewis and Clark National Forest and local fire fighters on Friday. "It's always a pleasure to work with such dedicated and professional individuals such as those on the Rugby Creek Fire. We are also grateful for the support and assistance that we have received from the community and residents" stated Incident Commander Don Angell.
The following roads and trails remain closed on the White Sulphur Springs and Belt Creek Ranger Districts due to fire crews working in the area:
- Road #839 - Divide Road - from the junction of the Belt Park Connector Road to the junction of the Deep Creek Trailhead.
- Road #253 Dry Park Road
- Road #3384 - Big Timber Gulch Road
- Road #6435 - Dry Gulch Road located ¼ mile south of the Logging Creek Campground.
- Pilgrim Creek Trail - #304
- Deer Creek Trail - #305
- Timber Gulch Trail - #313
- Tobins Gulch Trail - #315
- Big Horn Trail - #336
- Balsinger Creek Trail - #343
- Taylor Hills Trail - #344
- Taylor to Placer Trail - #351
Rugby Fire Statistics at a Glance:
- Time/Date Started: July 20, 2007
- Location: 12 miles W of Neihart in the Little Belt Mountains
- Cause: Lighting
- Fuels: Timber (litter and under story)
- Size: 130 acres smaller acreage reported do to more accurate mapping.
- Containment:75 %
- Resources Committed: 3 - Type 2 Crews, 5 - Engines, 2 - Water Tenders, Helena Helitack is providing air support when needed. Approximately 80 firefighters are working the fire.
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