Fire Season Takes Hold In Southeast Montana

A lightning laced storm tracked across the southern reaches of the state last week, prompting a large number of lightning storms in Southern Bighorn, Rosebud, Powder River, and Carter Counties.

On July 12th a large number of fires started, pushing smoke across SE Montana, and prompting voluntary evacuation orders over the weekend for Tongue River State Park and portions of Southern Rosebud County. On Monday morning these combined fires were listed as 22,208 acres, and a Type 3 Incident Management Team was in charge of the fires.

The Deadman Incident originally was comprised of two fires – the Deadman and the Anderson Fire, which have grown together. This complex was located on the east side of the Tongue River, downstream of Tongue River Reservoir, and south of Birney. As of Sunday evening that fire was listed at 15,294 acres.

The McGhee Fire was also located south of Birney, listed at 1,049 acres.

The 3961 acres Prairie Fire, 24 miles south of Lame Deer, was listed at 3961 acres as of Monday, while the 654 acres Hackley Fire was 22 miles south of Lame Deer, as well as the 1,274 acres Four Mile Fire, located southwest of the Prairie and Hackley Fires. The Prairie Fire had burned down to the green along the west side of the Tongue River, per fire maps consulted Monday.

Several fires cropped up near Moorhead. The Line Creek Fire, 39 miles SW of Broadus just above Moorhead, was listed at 1270 acres on Monday morning. That fire burned from Montana down into Wyoming, on the west side of the Powder River.

The 45 acre Trail Creek Fire was located west of Moorhead, and the 75 acres Moorhead Fire was located up Dry Creek, east of Moorhead.

The Black Point Fire, 41 miles SE of Broadus, burned 798 acres and was listed as controlled.

The Hadigan Fire, located in Carter County 38 miles SE of Broadus and located on 7/13, burned 116 acres and is controlled.

Several other local fires occurred earlier in the week, on July 8th, including the 235 acre Alkali Creek Fire, 13 miles north of Broadus, and the Horse Creek Fire at 4.9 acres, 22 miles SW of Broadus.

On Saturday evening, a large wind storm swept across the area, uprooting trees in Miles City and across Carter County, while power lines in Custer County and Carter County were also downed, with 100 mph+ winds measured when the storm hit South Dakota. Heavy winds also hit Broadus, but damage was minimal.