DNRC: Two fires start near Helmville
Location: 6 miles west of Helmville, Montana
Start: 8/23/24
Cause: Undetermined
Size: 80 Acres
Containment: 0%
Release date: 8/23/25 8 p.m.
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CURRENT STATUS
The McElwain Fire, located by McElwain Creek 6 miles west of Helmville in Powell County is approximately 80 acres, pushed by strong winds from the southwest. Heavy smoke over the fire area has hampered accurate size estimates. The fire is burning in timber and grass on private and USDI Bureau of Land Management land under Montana DNRC wildland fire protection. Multiple resources are on scene including 11 engines, two water tenders, one skidgine, one dozer, a helitack crew, and two type 2 helicopters. A Type 3 Incident Commander and additional resources including a Type 2 hand crew will be arriving tomorrow. Aerial resources are supporting the fire as winds allow. The cause of the fire is undetermined.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Increasing clouds are expected overnight as a low pressure system approaches, bringing with it a slight chance of rain Saturday morning and slight chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Winds will be out of the west from 5-15 mph. Chance of wetting rain increases Saturday evening and into Sunday.
EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
The Powell County Sheriff’s Office has issued evacuation warnings to residents in the immediate area of the fire, specifically the Ledger Road area. This is a limited warning for residents in the immediate area. Please visit the Powell County Sheriff’s Office Facebook for specific information and updates.
ADDITIONAL AREA FIRES
The Hoodoo Fire is a two-acre fire on Hoodoo Mountain southeast of Helmville burning in heavy dead and down timber in a steep and difficult area to access. Strong winds prohibited delivery of aerial firefighters (heli-rappelers and smokejumpers) to suppress the fire, but bucket drops by a type 2 helicopter as winds allowed were able to suppress the fire. Firefighting resources will re-evaluate fire needs on Saturday. The Weasel Fire, just west of the McElwain Fire, is another suspected lightning start and was 0.1 acres at detection early this evening. Resources are en route to the Fire. Both fires are on USDI BLM land under DNRC wildland fire protection.
Powell County is currently in Stage 1 fire restrictions, so residents and visitors are asked to be extra careful when outdoors so firefighters can focus on the lightning caused fires that we cannot prevent.
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