Daily Update 08/02/07
Incident: Mile Marker 124 Wildland Fire
Released: 8/2/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mile Marker 124 Fire
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Contact: Laura McConnell, Public Information Officer
Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team A
Phone: 406-825-9263 8:00am-10pm
Recorded Message Only: 303-775-9132
Website: http://www.inciweb.org/
NOTICE: PUBLIC MEETING
FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 8:00PM
Clinton Rural Fire Department
The Mile Maker 124 Fire continued to burn north and northeast east on the north side of I-90. A temperature inversion caused moderate fire behavior most of yesterday. The fire became more active when the inversion lifted in the evening. Firefighters continue to burn out areas, construct dozer line and provide structure point protection to values at risk with available resources.
The concern for motorists and fire fighter safety continues to exist on I-90 and motorists are being asked to please watch their speed and pay close attention to changes in traffic. Motorist maybe ticketed for stopping along the west side of I-90 from Beaver Tail Hill Road to Rock Creek Road.
The evacuation of homes along Cramer Creek remains in place. Evacuees are asked to check in with the Red Cross at the Clinton Elementary School even if they do not stay, so they could receive some contact information in case of any emergencies. Residents in the Wallace Creek area have been given a precautionary 12 to 36 hour notice of a potential need to leave the area.
Today's weather forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions with light wind in the morning, increasing in the afternoon with gusts to 25 mph in the valley. Thunderstorms will form south of the fire but are not expected to reach the fire area. The fire is expected to become more active in the afternoon after the inversion lifts. Firefighters will be constructing direct and indirect line, securing areas around homes, and conducting mop up.
Mile Marker 124 Statistics at a Glance:
· Time/Date Started: July 28, 2007
· Location: 3 miles east of Clinton MT.
· Cause: Human caused, possibly related to mechanical or vehicular malfunction
· Fuels: Grass, mixed conifers, open pine with slash
· Size: 5,720 Acres
· Containment: 15%
· Resources Committed: 2 helicopters, 3 dozers, Roosevelt Hotshots, 13 engines, 300 firefighters
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