Brackett Fire
The Northern Rockies Coordination Center’s report Friday morning describes extreme fire behavior and wind-driven runs on the Brackett Fire, 24 miles north of Terry in Prairie County. Mark Jacobsen with the Bureau of Land Management’s Miles City office says the 1,200-acre predominately grassland fire is contained although there are a few cottonwood draws that are still smoldering.
Peterson, Western Road and Musselshell Trail Road Fires
A federal fire management team will take over command Saturday morning of three aggressive wildfires burning through timber, sagebrush, grass and rangeland in Musselshell and neighboring Yellowstone counties.
A Type 2 team will manage the 1,600-acre Peterson Fire south of Melstone and the 800-acre Western Road Fire south of Roundup in Musselshell County. The team will also take over management of the 10,000-acre Musselshell Trail Road Fire north of Custer in Yellowstone County.
Whitten Fire
The Bureau of Land Management Miles City office says the Whitten Wildfire in southeast Montana is contained. The fire, estimated at 1,300 acres, is burning on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, as well as the Bureau of Land Management and private lands. It was first reported on July 3 and the cause is unknown.
Wheeler Fire
No structures are threatened by 2 lightning caused fires in the Custer Gallatin National Forest, reports forest service officials. Fire crews are enforcing fire lines and continuing mop up efforts on the Wheeler Mountain and Blacktail Fires. The Wheeler Mountain Fire is about 7 miles southeast of Gallatin Gateway in the Bear Creek area, and the Blacktail Fire near Blacktail Peak at the northern end of the Bridger Mountains. Both fires are listed at less than an acre in size.
Box Elder Fire
Thirty firefighters are working to protect some 21 structures threatened by the Box Elder Fire burning on private land roughly 20 miles northwest of Broadus in Powder River County.
Mark Jacobsen with the Bureau of Land Management’s Miles City office reports grass, ponderosa pine and juniper are fueling the 1,700-acre fire. Jacobsen says fire crews have dropped retardant on the fire and built containment lines on parts of the fire, but did not know the size of the containment. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Robertson Draw and Crooked Creek Fires
Containment lines are holding steady at 65% on the 30,000-acre Robertson Draw fire just south of Red Lodge in Carbon County.