Tag Archives: Elk Hill Fire

Heavy snow finishes off Elk Hill Fire

Fire engines at Elk Hill Fire, April 13, 2016 - USFS photo
Fire engines at Elk Hill Fire, April 13, 2016 – USFS photo

Stick a fork in it. It’s done. Some 10 inches of snow last Thursday night and Friday helped finish off the 1086-acre Elk Hill Fire in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

As of Friday afternoon, there were 20 people still assigned to the blaze, down from a peak of 50. The fire is 100% contained. All area trails are reopened.

The total cost for putting out someone’s neglected campfire was around $575,000.

Elk Hill Fire shows little growth

Fire engines at Elk Hill Fire, April 13, 2016 - USFS photo
Fire engines at Elk Hill Fire, April 13, 2016 – USFS photo

Firefighting personnel continue dealing with the Elk Hill Fire, a 1068-acre blaze burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The fire is 60% contained and continues to burn with its existing perimeter. According to the InciWeb site, “Suppression efforts will continue on the north and east edges of the fire.”

Check the fire’s InciWeb site for additional information and updates.

See also: “Fire shows little growth; new team takes over” (Daily Inter Lake)

Elk Hill Fire 60% contained; more progress expected today

Elk Hill Fire, aerial view. April 10, 2016 - USFS photo
Elk Hill Fire, aerial view. April 10, 2016 – USFS photo

Firefighting personnel continue dealing with the Elk Hill Fire, a 1068-acre blaze burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The fire is now 60% contained, with further progress expected today.

Some 45 people are assigned to the effort. Three helicopters are making water drops. A Type 2 team started work yesterday.

According to the InciWeb site, “Fire personnel will remain working on the north edge in the heavier dead and down fuel (within the 2005 fire’s burned area), while the Type-2 fire crew will move to the east-side of the fire today, after making progress yesterday on the south edge.”

Check the fire’s InciWeb site for additional information and updates.

Elk Hill Fire still burning; Type 2 team arrives

Elk Hill Fire, April 10, 2016 - USFS photo
Elk Hill Fire, April 10, 2016 – USFS photo

Firefighting personnel continue dealing with the Elk Hill Fire, a 1068-acre blaze burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Fifty people (up from 30 yesterday) are tied up with the effort so far. Three helicopters are making water drops. A Type 2 team is going in today.

The fire is still uncontained, although it doesn’t appear to be spreading significantly.

In general, not much has changed since our previous post, except for the increased number of folks on the ground.

Monitor the InciWeb page for more information.

Also, the Daily Inter Lake posted a pretty good write-up yesterday evening.

Already? 1000-acre Elk Hill Fire burning in the Bob

Elk Hill Fire, Lewis and Clarke NF, April 9, 2016 - USFS photo
Elk Hill Fire, Lewis and Clarke NF, April 9, 2016 – USFS photo

Personnel from the Lewis and Clarke National forest are busy suppressing the Elk Hill Fire, a 1000-acre blaze burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Thirty people are tied up with the effort so far, as well as three helicopters. (Update: There are no significant changes as of April 11 at 10am.)

Here are the high points from the current InciWeb report . . .


The Elk Hill fire appears to have been started by a warming or campfire, but is under investigation.

Currently the fire is actively burning near lower North Fork Sun River, southeast of the Forest Service cabin on Cabin Creek, in the Bob Marshall Wilderness on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District. The Elk Hill Fire is burning in grass, and in downfall within the perimeter of a wildfire from 2005, moving into stands of mature Douglas fir. Although the weather is warm, this fire is primarily fuels-driven with potential for continued rapid spread.

The most active part of the fire is along Circle Creek in/around the 2005 fire area, because of the dead and down fuels within that area.

Fire personnel are continuing suppression efforts where it is safe to do so; and focus structure protection of the Forest Service Cabin Creek cabin. Three helicopters–one Type 1 and two Type-2–are assisting the on-the-ground efforts, as needed.

UPDATED TRAILS CLOSURES:

–North Fork Sun River Trail #201 from jct. w/#268 north to jct. w/#231.1 (northwest of Cabin Creek Cabin).

–Circle Creek Trail #231 from jct. w/#201 north to #231.1 and southeast to jct. w/#208.

–Cabin Creek Admin. Connector #231.1 closed in it’s entirety.

–Circle Creek Connector #268.1 closed in it’s entirety.


Further reading:

InciWeb report on the Elk Hill Fire
Elk Hill fire active near Cabin Creek cabin (Helena Independent Record; written prior to the trail closures)