Sheep Creek (MTBDF)

Wildfire Status:

The Sheep Creek Fire, which was discovered on September 22, 2024, is currently active and has burned approximately 778 acres in a remote area of Montana, about five miles southwest of Bernice. The fire was ignited by a hold-over lightning strike from a storm on September 17. It is located along a ridgetop, making access difficult, and is primarily fueled by a large amount of beetle-killed lodgepole pine, which poses challenges for containment efforts due to its dry and highly combustible nature. Fortunately, fire managers have identified very few critical values at risk, primarily situated in lower valleys and road corridors, which are currently not threatened by the fire.

The response from fire agencies includes a small team of three personnel who are actively engaged in managing the situation. While the fire has exhibited minimal activity recently, with smoldering ground fuels and slow creeping behavior across surface materials, operational objectives are reported to be 54% complete. Fire managers have successfully rescinded all area, road, and trail closures related to the Sheep Creek Fire as of October 18, 2024, indicating a positive trend in controlling the blaze.

Weather conditions in the area remain conducive to firefighting efforts, with no significant adverse weather events reported. Fire behavior is expected to remain minimal, allowing personnel to focus on monitoring and mopping up operations. The situation is being closely monitored to ensure public safety and to prevent any potential spread of the fire into more critical areas.

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