27/09/2011
MONTANA: Bitterroot National Forest-41 Complex Fire Update (9/27)The Up Top Fire was pushed to the north and east by 25 mph winds yesterday and grew by another 1,100 acres. The fire is one of three burning in the 41 Complex in the Sapphire Mountains approximately 8 miles east of Hamilton. Over the weekend, the Up Top fire grew to 10,792 acres and continued to burn actively on both sides of Skalkaho Highway. Smoke from the fire was visible this weekend in the valley.
Fire crews reported single and group tree torching and short range spotting of up to a half mile yesterday. Late in the day, as temperatures reached near record highs with single digit humidity's, the fire spotted over the top of the ridge onto the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, northeast of Dam Lake. Most of the activity over the weekend occurred on the north side of the fire above Skalkaho Highway and to the east of Dam Lake.
Two helicopters dropped 56,200 gallons of water on hot spots along the Skalkaho Highway corridor yesterday. The helicopters are using a 5,000 gallon portable water tank set up on the highway as their main water source. So far, aircraft have dropped more than 500,000 gallons of water and approximately 100,000 gallons of retardant on the 41 Complex fires.
Skalkaho Highway remains closed between mile posts 13 and 26 and fire crews continue to clear hazard trees, burning and rolling debris, and rocks which are falling from the fire area onto the highway - when it is safe to do so. The area closure around the Up Top and 41 fires remains in place. Railroad Creek Road # 711 and the Butterfly Road # 364 remain closed.
On the ground this week, firefighters will continue to mop-up on the western perimeter nearest private lands. Along with patrolling and extinguishing hot spots, they will also be doing fire line rehabilitation and constructing water bars to prevent erosion. Firefighter safety remains a concern due to steep, rugged terrain, large areas of snags from previous fires, rolling rocks and debris and hot stump holes. The weather forecast calls for cooler temperatures this week with a slight chance of showers. Overnight, approximately .06 inches of rain were recorded at Gird Point Lookout on the Up Top fire.
The Coyote Meadows and Fox Peak fires remain unstaffed. The Fox Peak fire grew by approximately 20 acres over the weekend to 298 acres. Last week, the area closure around the Coyote Meadows fire was lifted opening Skalkaho Rye Road #75, Barnett Meadows, Moose Meadows and Trail # 87.
