Saturday evening the Dillon Volunteer fire department along with the DNRC, Lima Fire, Grasshopper Valley Fire, and USFS responded to a fire along MT-324 between mile marker 8 and 9. The fire was burning alongside the road in various places stretching about a quarter of a mile. Residents had water and shovels and were working on the fire before firefighters showed up.
Mixed reports stated it jumped the road. As of now the fire is not reported as being extinguished. It is listed at 1 acre.
Remember to check trailer chains are tight to prevent them from dragging and do not throw anything out the window that is flammable.
We will update this story as more news becomes available.
(Update) 7:48 PM
Fire has been updated to 10 acres.
(Update) Sunday 07/14
The fire burned a total of 63 acres.
DNRC Press Release
DILLON, Mont. – On July 13 at around 5 pm, what investigators believe was a trailer dragging a leveling jack, sparked a 63-acre wildfire off MT Highway 324, approximately 3 miles east of the town of Grant. Firefighters from the Dillon, Grasshopper, Grant, and Lima volunteer fire departments, alongside crews from the Montana DNRC and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, successfully stopped forward progress by utilizing fire engines and strategic water placement by Forest Service and DNRC helicopters. Crews will continue to monitor the burn area and extinguish any residual heat.
Firefighters across the state have been dealing with an uptick in human-caused wildfires, exacerbated by recent trends of high temperatures, low relative humidities, and increased wind speeds. Fire managers are asking our public to help them protect lives, property, and our beautiful natural resources by being extremely cautious with their activities.
“It only takes one spark to do a lot of damage during periods of high fire danger,” said BJ Klose, Incident Commander, and Chief of the Dillon Volunteer Fire Department. “We ask that folks take extra caution and double-check what they are hauling and secure anything that can drag on the pavement and send sparks into receptive vegetation.”
On average, 75% of wildfires in Montana are human caused. Residents and visitors can reduce fire risk through a few simple actions to protect themselves, their families, and the land:
· Obey all fire restrictions. Visit MTFireInfo.org for information on fire restrictions in place throughout Montana.
· If campfires are allowed, please do not leave your campfire unattended and fully extinguish it before leaving. If it is too hot to touch, then it is too hot to leave.
· Make sure that your trailer chains or other pieces are not dragging, which can cause sparks.
· If you are thinking about burning debris, make sure that outdoor burning is still allowed, and only burn on days with favorable weather.
· Please call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire.
For more information on wildfire prevention, active wildfires, fire restrictions, and wildfire preparedness, please visit www.MTFireInfo.org.
תגובות