State Creek Fire
September 6, 2020 Contact State Creek Fire Information: 406-356-6521
WHAT: Wildland Fire
DATE OF DETECTION: August 29, 2020
CAUSE: Lightning
CURRENT SIZE: 1000 acres
CONTAINMENT: 0%
LOCATION Approximately 16 miles NE of Whitehall, 2 miles NE of Whitetail Reservoir
JURISDICTION: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest
PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES OF THE FIRE: 1 Type 2 Crew from Oregon, 1 (10 person) Crew from the Kootenai National Forest, 1 (9 person) Smokejumper Module from West Yellowstone, 1 Water Tender, 1 Type 3 Engine from Jefferson County, 2 Forest Service Type 6 Engines and miscellaneous overhead totaling 70 personnel.
NARRATIVE: The State Creek Fire was caused by lightning on August 25th and went undetected until Saturday, August 29th. This fire is located on the Butte Ranger District and currently is 1000 acres in an area difficult for firefighters to access due to rough terrain, numerous snags, and a significant amount of dead and down trees.
YESTERDAY’S ACTIVITY: The fire was very active due to the high winds experienced yesterday. Burn out operations were conducted to consume unburned fuels keeping the fire within the indirect lines. Helicopters assisted with bucket drops but were grounded later in the day by high winds and low visibility Air attack dropped several loads of retardant. Firefighters from the State Creek Fire, Beaverhead-Deerlodge NF, Butte Silver Bow, and
Jefferson County also assisted with 4 new fire starts during the day.
TODAY’S WEATHER/FIRE BEHAVIOR: This morning will start with wide-spread haze becoming sunny with highs in the mid-80’s, northwest winds will be light and variable in the morning. Winds will again pick up in the afternoon with gusts as high as 23 mph.
SPECIAL CONCERNS & CLOSURES: Public and firefighters safety is always the primary concern. Closure orders have been issued by the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management closing the area, including roads and trails, near the fire. If fire activity increases today, closure orders may also change. Pleae check InciWeb for the current order if recreating in the area. Smoke is visible from Whitehall, Boulder, 1-90 and 1-15.
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