Fire Update - August 5, 2018
Goldstone Fire Update:
The lightning caused Goldstone fire, detected August 2, is now approximately 125 acres. The fire is burning in a high elevation basin near Goldstone Pass. It is 0% contained and is located approximately five miles west of Reservoir Lake near Goldstone Pass in the Bitterroot
Mountains, near the Montana and Idaho state border. The fire is located in steep mountainous terrain and is burning in heavy mixed conifer fuels (sub-alpine fir, Engleman Spruce, lodge pole pine) with very heavy concentrations of standing dead trees (snags). Ten firefighting personnel from the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest and a task force of heavy equipment are working to construct a fuel break along Forest Road #7402.
Due to this active fire, there is an area closure south of Forest Road #7327, east of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, north of the ridgeline between Eunice Creek and Park Creek, and west of Forest Road #7402. Forest Road #7402 and Trail #1144 are closed. Forest Road #7327 and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail currently remain open.
Virginia Creek Fire:
The lightning caused Virginia Creek fire detected on August 2 at approximately 12:45 p.m. is currently 30 acres in size (due to more accurate mapping) and is burning in heavy concentrations of mixed conifer (sub-alpine fir, Engleman Spruce, lodge pole pine) fuels with very heavy concentrations of standing dead trees and logs on the ground and is 0% contained.
Resources from the Beaverhead- Deer Lodge National Forest, MT DNRC, and the Madison Valley Volunteer Fire Department working on this fire are: 47 personnel including: 4 Engines; 1 Water Tender; 1 Helicopter; and one 26 person hand crew. The fire is located approximately five miles west of McAllister, in the Virginia Creek drainage. Last evening crews were successful in conducting a burning operation that safely brought the fire to the edges of the Meadow Creek and Virginia Creek Roads and moved the fire to the ridgeline above the fire. Today, if weather conditions are favorable, fire crews are continuing with the burning operation to tie in the west flank of the fire with the ridgeline and bring the fire to the Meadow Creek Road. Fire personnel are working to keep the fire from advancing past the Meadow Creek and Virginia Creek roads and from burning over the ridgeline above the fire on the southeast side. Last evening 20 people attended a public meeting that was held in Ennis by fire managers to share information about the fire and planned actions Virginia Creek Road #1249 and trail #6314 have been closed in order to provide for the safety of firefighting personnel and public. Smoke will be very visible from Norris Hill south to Ennis for the next few days to come. For more information about these and other fires, go online to https://inciweb.nwcg.gov
