FRENCHTOWN — The Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team took command of the Elder One Fire in Montana Tuesday morning, bringing more resources to fight the flames and freeing up local crews to respond to any new fires.
The new command team thanked the local Lolo National Forest crews for their hard work so far.
Lightning started the fire July 24. It is burning about 7 miles southwest of Frenchtown in the Rock Creek area and has grown to an estimated 510 acres and is currently 0% contained.
Four crews and 6 engines are currently assigned to the fire. Three dozers, five water tenders, and helicopters are also on scene.
Flames moved uphill toward Albert Point Monday. Firefighters made progress building control lines along the east side of the fire, and airplanes dropped fire retardant along a western ridge. Hotshot crews are now building direct lines on the north and south sides with help from helicopters and heavy equipment.
Weather conditions are making the fight more difficult Tuesday. The area is hot and dry, wind gusts could reach 20 miles per hour in the afternoon, and smoke from other regional wildfires is lowering visibility.
Tuesday, crews plan to hold the ridge from Rock Creek to Albert Point and keep the fire north of Rock Creek. Crews are also looking for more places to build control lines away from local powerlines. More firefighters and equipment are arriving daily to help contain the blaze.
Officials are discussing a temporary closure for the entire fire area. For now, they want the public to stay away from the immediate area. Drivers should avoid Deep Creek Road.
A temporary flight restriction is in place over the fire. Officials warn that flying drones in the area is dangerous, as drones can cause accidents and force firefighting aircraft to stay on the ground.
"Firefighting aircraft and drones are a dangerous combination. Drones in the area could lead to accidents or slow down wildfire suppression operations. If you fly…we can’t."
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