| Acres: 523 acres
Start Date: July 17th, 2022 Cause: Lightning Origin Location: 17 miles East of Hamilton |
Percent Contained: 9%
Jurisdiction: Bitterroot National Forest and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest Website: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8258/ Fire Information: 406-880-8090 |
Summary: Forest Service 75 (Skalkaho-Rye) Road is currently closed from the junction of Highway 38 (Skalkaho Highway) to Mile Marker 5 near Skalkaho Creek Trailhead. Forest Service 5071 Road is closed. The closure is for public safety as fire crews are creating a fuel break using heavy equipment.
Due to hot, dry and windy conditions a Red Flag Warning is in effect today, from 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The Hog Trough fire is now at 523 acres, a 23 acre increase from yesterday. It is burning in the Sapphire Wilderness Study Area (WSA) on both the Bitterroot and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests. People within the Bitterroot Valley may continue to see smoke from this fire. No structures are currently threatened and no evacuations are in place. Area, trail and road closures are in effect.
Planned Actions: Helicopters will be providing water drops on the east and west end of the fire to slow down the fire’s progression. Crews will be working along the FS 75 Road and FS 5071 Road to clear vegetation and prepare it as a containment line. Fire manager’s objective is to keep the fire to the south of Highway 38, east of FS 75 Road and west of FS 5071 Road. This will provide a safe location for firefighters to implement direct suppression strategies. A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the fire area.
Fire Activity: The fire will continue to spread in heavy dead and down continuous fuel from past burns. Fire activity may pick in the early afternoon with increasing winds. The fire is continuing to progress towards the east in the direction of the 2005 Signal Rock Fire and the FS 5071 Road. Single and group tree torching has been observed. The fire is running parallel with the wind and is making short, uphill runs.
Terrain: The fire’s location is in extremely remote, rugged, and inaccessible terrain. Heavy deadfall is present with dead standing trees (snags), downed timber and short grass (1 foot tall). Due to the significant safety threats and inaccessibility, firefighters currently are not directly engaging the fire on the ground. Fire manager’s top priority is ensuring firefighter and public safety.
Weather: A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Friday. Temperatures are forecasted to be 73-78 degrees. Relative humidity values will be between 19-24%. Winds are forecasted from the west at 9-18 MPH to 25 MPH in the afternoon.
Closures:
FS Road 75, from Junction 38 and FS 75 to Mile Marker 5 (Skalkaho Creek Trailhead).
RS Road 5071 Closed.
Railroad Creek, National Forest System Trail #77 to Trail #313 at the gate
Weasel Creek, National Forest System Trail #156 from milepost 0.00 at its junction with NFSR #461.
A section of the Bitterroot Rock Creek Divide Trail #313, National Forest System Trail #313 where it intersects Trail #77 Railroad Creek, Weasel Creek Trail #156
Skalkaho Creek – Jerry Lake Trail #503, National Forest System Trail #503