Buck Horn Fire still burning

By Michael Howell

Heavy smoke has blanketed the Bitterroot Valley for days, despite the fact that, as of Monday, August 24, the Buck Horn Fire was the only uncontained, active fire burning on the Bitterroot National Forest, and according to forest officials, the majority of smoke is coming from other western states.
The lightning-caused Buck Horn Fire was spotted on August 13 east of Hamilton in the Sapphire Mountains near Buck Horn Saddle and Gird Point Lookout. By Friday, August 21, it had grown to 60 acres and was only 50% contained.
Resources called in to fight the fire included 67 firefighters, four engines, one water tender, one skidgeon, and one helicopter. By the end of the week firefighters had constructed hose line to get water to most areas of the fire. Hand crews were mopping up operations into the black (fire interior) and preparing for higher winds that were forecast for the weekend by reinforcing fire lines. The crews extinguished or removed burning materials 15 feet into the black along the perimeter as the fire approached within one mile of Skalkaho Highway which remained open. No structures were threatened. But an emergency road closure was put in place for Gird Road #714 for public and firefighter safety.
Despite the weather front that moved in over the weekend, due to the hard work of firefighters and some luck with Mother Nature, the fire was held to 60 acres and, by Monday, August 24, it was 90% contained. As a result, according to Public Affairs Officer Tod McKay, some resources were released including the skidgeon, two engines, and half the firefighters. This leaves 35 firefighters and two engines on the ground mopping up. Full containment is expected later in the week.
The Canyon Creek fire in the Bitterroot Mountains to the west was declared out on Sunday, August 23.
According to McKay, the thick smoke blanketing the Bitterroot Valley is not coming from fires on our forest. He said, in all, the Bitterroot National Forest has had 66 fires this season and all of them have been kept relatively small and only one, the Buck Horn, is still burning. The smoke filling the Bitterroot Valley is coming from farther west, he said, where over 100 large fires are as yet uncontained.
“Some of these fires are really huge,” said McKay. “One is over 100,000 acres. They are having a tough time.” He said the fires contributing smoke to our region right now are located in Idaho, Washington, Oregon and even California. He said the fire in Chelan, Washington has destroyed 100 homes and the one in Kamiah has destroyed 75 homes.
“All that smoke is moving east, not just into the Bitterroot and Missoula, but over the whole region,” said McKay.
An Air Quality Alert was still in effect in 24 counties across the region, including Ravalli.
The smoke is having an impact on temperatures as well as the sun is not able to penetrate through all the particulates in the air, meaning high temps will be near normal this week instead of well above normal.
Air quality impacts, ranging from “UNHEALTHY FOR SENSITIVE GROUPS” to “VERY UNHEALTHY,” are expected throughout the week in western Montana. As the winds turn to more westerly, these impacts will spread further east across the state. Eastern Montana is expected to see hazy skies and decreased air quality. The air quality alert will likely be extended and expanded as the impacts spread.
Monsoon moisture is forecast on Wednesday with a chance of showers and thunderstorms with gusty winds and occasional lightning.
The national fire situation, including the deaths of three firefighters in Washington, caused U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Congressman Ryan Zinke to postpone a series of meetings planned for this week in western Montana, including a “listening session” in Hamilton on Monday.