Sand Creek Active 2026

Started: Aug 1 35,520 acre 58% contained Wildfire
Near Salmon, Idaho · Beaverhead County, Montana
InciWeb

Sand Creek is the largest active wildfire in Montana, burning 31 miles northeast of Salmon and has spread north.

Latest update

The Sand Creek Fire was first discovered 7.5 miles southeast of Wisdom in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in rugged remote terrain. The cause of the Sand Creek Fire is lightning. A full suppression strategy is being utilized with direct and indirect tactics strategies to minimize impacts to values at risk and firefighter exposure. 

Firefighters remain engaged in places where the fire perimeter isn’t yet contained. Suppression repair continues along contingency lines in already-contained areas. To protect firefighter and public safety, closures persist while suppression and suppression repair operations are ongoing.

The Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway remains closed. 

Area closures surrounding the Bobcat Lakes and Sand Creek Fires remain in effect to safeguard public welfare, provide access for emergency personnel and equipment, and facilitate safe fire suppression and repair operations. See Closures or more details. 

47 Days Active
#1 By Size Largest active wildfire in Montana
31 mi NE From Salmon to the fire perimeter
35,520 Acres Slightly smaller than Washington D.C. 6.8x the size of JFK Airport
0 Recent Acre Growth 2 acres/day avg over last 7 days
N Spreading North
58%
Contained +0% since previous report
173 Personnel $34.3M spent $966/acre

Sand Creek Live Perimeter Growth

Sand Creek Fire Growth History
Sand Creek Containment History

Fires near Sand Creek

🔥 Bobcat Lakes Active 2026
Started: Aug 1 10,896 acre 72% contained
Near Anaconda · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Skull Fire Active 2026
Started: Aug 27 67 acre 0% contained
Near Anaconda · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Cooper Fire Active 2026
Started: Aug 25 354 acre 0% contained
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Nature Grove Fire Active 2026
Started: Aug 23 1,422 acre 0% contained
Near Corvallis · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Scimitar Fire Active 2026
Started: Aug 22 463 acre 0% contained
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Black Bear Fire Active 2026
Started: Aug 2 2,126 acre 30% contained
Near Corvallis · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Grotto Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 29 3,856 acre 20% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Moose Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 26 6,005 acre 15% contained
Near Philipsburg · Granite County, Montana
🔥 North Fork Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 26 118 acre 70% contained
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Doublesprings Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 24 1,779 acre 60% contained
Near Challis · Custer County, Idaho
🔥 Three Links Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 24 927 acre 21% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Selway Wilderness Fires Active 2026
Started: Jul 23 7,475 acre 50% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Wolf Creek Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 17 2,643 acre 50% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Cascade Fire Active 2026
Started: Jul 17 7,475 acre 70% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Roe 2 Fire 2026
Started: Aug 27 978 acre 100% contained
Near Dillon · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Cherry Fire 2026
Started: Aug 27 291 acre
Near Salmon · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Sliver Fire 2026
Started: Aug 27 11 acre
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Falls Point Fire 2026
Started: Aug 24 46 acre 0% contained
Near Darby · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Butterfly Fire 2026
Started: Aug 1 67 acre 97% contained
Near Corvallis · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Grizzly Fire 2026
Started: Jul 17 8 acre
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Deer Hollow Fire 2026
Started: Jul 3 402 acre 100% contained
Near Darby · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Ross Fork Fire 2026
Started: Apr 7 2 acre
Near Philipsburg · Granite County, Montana
🔥 West Fork Piles -South Half Rx Fire 2025
Started: Oct 24 76 acre
Near Darby · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Lake Creek Fire 2025
Started: Sep 28 512 acre 89% contained
Near Sun Valley · Blaine County, Idaho
🔥 Sheep Drive 2025
Started: Sep 25 163 acre
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Cutaway Fire 2025
Started: Sep 6 81 acre 20% contained
Near Philipsburg · Granite County, Montana
🔥 Timber Butte Fire 2025
Started: Sep 3 2,245 acre 100% contained
Near Dillon · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Elk Ridge Fire 2025
Started: Aug 26 25 acre
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Barefoot Fire 2025
Started: Aug 26 9 acre 100% contained
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 East Fork Fire 2025
Started: Aug 24 57 acre 100% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 East 2025
Started: Aug 24 2,231 acre 50% contained
Near Superior, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Spread Creek Fire 2025
Started: Aug 23 155 acre 50% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Waldo Bar Fire 2025
Started: Aug 23 121 acre 100% contained
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Blacktail Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 20 acre
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Rhoda Creek Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 2,700 acre 0% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Schwar Creek Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 535 acre 100% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Wind Lake Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 488 acre 100% contained
Near Pinesdale, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Lonely Mountain Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 629 acre 100% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Parachute Lake Fire 2025
Started: Aug 20 75 acre 100% contained
Near Pinesdale, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Good Friday Fire 2025
Started: Aug 15 616 acre 100% contained
Near Pinesdale, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Elkhorn Fire - Idaho 2025
Started: Aug 14 1,779 acre 100% contained
Custer County, Idaho
🔥 Island Creek 2025
Started: Aug 4 14,943 acre 7% contained
Near Grangeville · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Wapiti Creek Fire 2025
Started: Aug 2 730 acre 100% contained
Near Darby, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Lick Fire 2025
Started: Aug 1 1 acre 21% contained
Near Darby · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Cedar Fire - Idaho 2025
Started: Jul 31 893 acre 100% contained
Near Arco · Butte County, Idaho
🔥 Mill Fire 2025
Started: Jul 29 1,820 acre 100% contained
Near Challis · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Dominic Point Fire 2025
Started: Jul 28 31 acre 100% contained
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Observation Point Fire 2025
Started: Jul 24 105 acre 100% contained
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Mc Clain Fire 2025
Started: Jul 24 18 acre
Near Carlton · Missoula County, Montana
🔥 Deer Fire 2025
Started: Jul 19 75 acre 100% contained
Near Hamilton · Missoula County, Montana
🔥 Rush 2025
Started: Jul 12 7,908 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Big Bear 2025
Started: Jul 11 16,220 acre 100% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Post Fire 2025
Started: Jun 12 144 acre 94% contained
Near Hamilton, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Big Creek Fire 2025
Started: May 8 75 acre
Near Stevensville · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Sawlog 2025
Started: May 3 2,030 acre 100% contained
Near Anaconda · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Mowitch Fire 2024
Started: Oct 4 5,412 acre 0% contained
Near Challis · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Birch Fire 2024
Started: Sep 27 23,094 acre 100% contained
Near Challis · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Nugget Fire 2024
Started: Sep 27 1,001 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Garden Fire 2024
Started: Sep 27 13,036 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Vanity Fire 2024
Started: Sep 10 600 acre 100% contained
Near Challis · Custer County, Idaho
🔥 Frog 2024
Started: Sep 10 3,020 acre 100% contained
Near Sun Valley · Custer County, Idaho
🔥 Logan Fire 2024
Started: Sep 10 15,638 acre 10% contained
Near McCall · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Long Tom Fire 2024
Started: Sep 9 57 acre 70% contained
Silver Bow County, Montana
🔥 South Selway Complex 2024
Started: Sep 9 1,927 acre
Near Hamilton, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Copper Fire 2024
Started: Sep 6 2,129 acre
Near McCall · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 McDermott 2024
Started: Sep 5 427 acre
Near Philipsburg · Granite County, Montana
🔥 Red Rock Fire 2024
Started: Sep 4 79,260 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Black Eagle Fire 2024
Started: Sep 3 8,147 acre 15% contained
Near Salmon · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Magruder Ridge Fire 2024
Started: Sep 2 3,625 acre 0% contained
Near Hamilton, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Railroad-Daly Fire 2024
Started: Aug 26 13,076 acre
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Big Hollow Fire 2024
Started: Aug 24 3,449 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon, Idaho · Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Sharrott Creek Fire 2024
Started: Aug 24 3,204 acre
Near Stevensville · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Surprise Fire 2024
Started: Aug 23 792 acre
Near Hamilton, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Robbin Fire 2024
Started: Aug 22
Near Stevensville, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Grave Butte Fire 2024
Started: Aug 22 23 acre
Near Kamiah · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Boulder Creek Fire 2024
Started: Aug 22 40 acre
Near Lolo, Montana · Clearwater County, Idaho
🔥 Parks Fire 2024
Started: Aug 22 5,978 acre
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Burnt Creek Fire 2024
Started: Aug 19 2,665 acre
Near Salmon · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Cracker Jack Complex 2024
Started: Aug 11 5,240 acre
Near Grangeville · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Farrow Fire 2024
Started: Aug 9 3,637 acre
Near Salmon · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Monumental Fire 2024
Started: Aug 9 11 acre
Near McCall · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Payette Wilderness Fires 2024
Started: Aug 8
Near McCall · Valley County, Idaho
🔥 Elkhorn Ridge 2024
Started: Aug 8 3,125 acre 0% contained
Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Johnson Fire 2024
Started: Aug 4 8,438 acre
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana
🔥 Shepp Fire 2024
Started: Jul 30 100 acre
Near Grangeville · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Wapiti Fire 2024
Started: Jul 28 129,063 acre 90% contained
Near Idaho City · Boise County, Idaho
🔥 Bulltrout Fire 2024
Started: Jul 28 271 acre 92% contained
Near Cascade · Boise County, Idaho
🔥 Grouse 2024
Started: Jul 28 6,228 acre
Beaverhead County, Montana
🔥 Thunder Fire 2024
Started: Jul 26 2,474 acre 100% contained
Near Salmon · Lemhi County, Idaho
🔥 Moose Creek Complex 2024
Started: Jul 25 14,762 acre
Near Hamilton, Montana · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Butler Creek Fire 2024
Started: Jul 22 284 acre 100% contained
Near Missoula · Missoula County, Montana
🔥 Blacktail Canyon 2024
Started: Jul 20 80 acre 95% contained
Near Butte · Silver Bow County, Montana
🔥 Miller Peak Fire 2024
Started: Jul 15 2,724 acre 100% contained
Near Clinton · Missoula County, Montana
🔥 Bench Lake Fire 2024
Started: Jul 14 2,595 acre 90% contained
Near Sun Valley · Custer County, Idaho
🔥 Elkhorn Fire 2023
Started: Jul 25 26,048 acre
Near Grangeville · Idaho County, Idaho
🔥 Trail Ridge Fire 2022
Started: Aug 30 18,138 acre 80% contained
Near Hamilton · Ravalli County, Montana

Places Near Sand Creek

Salmon, Idaho, United States Anaconda, Montana, United States Dillon, Montana, United States Philipsburg, Montana, United States Warm Springs, Montana, United States Butte, Montana, United States Walkerville, Montana, United States Darby, Montana, United States Deer Lodge, Montana, United States Hamilton, Montana, United States Corvallis, Montana, United States Sheridan, Montana, United States Pinesdale, Montana, United States Victor, Montana, United States Stevensville, Montana, United States Whitehall, Montana, United States Clinton, Montana, United States Florence, Montana, United States Carlton, Montana, United States Boulder, Montana, United States Challis, Idaho, United States Virginia City, Montana, United States Lolo, Montana, United States Bonner-West Riverside, Montana, United States East Missoula, Montana, United States Missoula, Montana, United States Orchard Homes, Montana, United States Lincoln, Montana, United States Helena West Side, Montana, United States Wye, Montana, United States Ennis, Montana, United States Clancy, Montana, United States Seeley Lake, Montana, United States Helena, Montana, United States South Hills, Montana, United States Helena Valley West Central, Montana, United States Montana City, Montana, United States Frenchtown, Montana, United States Helena Valley Northwest, Montana, United States East Helena, Montana, United States