Alder Creek
Size: 11,540 Acres
Containment: 10%
Location: 7 miles west of Wise River, MT
Start Date: July 8, 2021
Cause: Unknown
Total personnel: 380
Alder Creek Fire: Monitoring and securing line operations with structure protection and
work towards containment will continue today. Crews will be testing structure protection
equipment and plans. Heavy equipment will also work to complete additional dozer line to
strengthen strategic containment objectives. Firefighters will continue to identify additional
preparation work along Highway 43 and locate areas of concern ahead of the cold front that will arrive later today.
Trail Creek
Size: 35,897 Acres
Containment: 23%
Location: 20 miles west of Wisdom, MT
Start Date: July 8, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Total personnel: 137
Trail Creek Fire: An additional type 2 IA crew has been assigned to the fire. Prep work and
mitigation efforts continue along the fire’s southwest edge with fallers, crews and heavy
equipment working in an area known as the switchbacks, near Gibbonsville Road corridor and
Lost Trail Rd. Two miles of containment line remain to be completed. Structure and
infrastructure protection continues to test planned mitigations in place. Patrolling operations in the area are ongoing. Increased fire activity have been identified in areas near 3‐mile creek and adjacent ridges holding heat.
Christensen
Size: 8,575 Acres
Containment: 0%
Location: 12 miles west of Wise River, MT
Start Date: July 16, 2021
Cause: Unknown
Total personnel: 18
Christensen Fire: Midnight Sun Hotshots are working to secure the Christensen Creek area. Fire crews will continue to patrol and monitor line operations and test planned structure protection mitigations and equipment to prevent impact to private property and infrastructure assets. Fuel breaks and handlines continue to be constructed to tie in dozer line. Montana National Guard has joined operations on the west side of the fire, as well as two wildfire modules. Resources will continue work identified by utilizing dozer lines in conjunction with natural features to complete containment lines in the area.
Black Mountain
Size: 1,042 Acres
Containment: 32%
Location: 13 miles south of Jackson, MT
Start Date: July 17, 2021
Cause: Lightning
Total personnel: 52
Black Mountain Fire: Two additional wildfire modules have been added to monitor, patrol, and
mop up the fire edge to ensure fire containment. Resources will continue to prepare alternate
and contingency lines to ensure they are in place in case of any fire movement in that area.
Fire Weather Watchout Today: Red Flag Warning Today. Today’s temperatures will be in the mid 70’s to low 80’s. The low relative humidity could be at 15% percent with southwest winds at 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 50 mph possible which could increase fire activity. Wet and dry thunderstorms are possible with the incoming front that is expected to arrive between 1300 to 1400.
Major Closures:
‐Hwy 43 and Pioneer Byway remain open. Motorists are asked to slow down and be on the alert for firefighters, heavy smoke, and downed trees. Please check the Montana DOT Road Report website MDT.MT.gov/travinfomobile for current conditions.
‐Continental Divide Trail: Closed from Lemhi Pass north to Mussigbrod Creek.
‐Big Hole National Battlefield is closed until further notice. North and South VanHouten, Miner
Lakes, Twin Lakes, May Creek and Divide Bridge Campgrounds are closed.
‐Forest Closure orders are in effect for all three fires.
Montana air quality alert for Beaverhead County: http://todaysair.mt.gov
Idaho air pollution forecast for Lemhi County: https://airquality.deq.idaho.gov/home/map
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in effect for SW Montana: https://www.mtfireinfo.org
Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in effect for Central ID: https://www.idl.idaho.gov/fire‐
Beaverhead County Sheriff has Stage 1 Evacuation Orders in effect for Alder Creek Community and Highway 43 from Mile Marker 35 to the County Line at Mile Marker 41.5. This includes the residents on Doolittle Creek Road and North Doolittle Creek Road. . Stage 2 is in place for the southside of Hwy 43 from Alder Creek Road to Dickie Bridge, and the westside of Pioneer Scenic Byway from airport to Harriet Lou Road Beaverhead Sheriff.
Lemhi County Sheriff has contacted residences in threatened areas on the west side of the Trail Creek Fire in Idaho and placed in “Set” evacuation status. Info: 208‐756‐8980.
