HELENA — Fire officials reported minimal growth of the Horse Gulch Fire and increased containment on Tuesday morning.
The Horse Gulch Fire has burned 13,299 acres as of the morning of Tuesday, July 16. Fire officials mentioned that a significant portion of the new acres burned was controlled burning conducted by fire crews to reinforce lines and areas within the fire perimeter. The total acreage burned has risen by approximately 500 acres since the previous update on Monday.
Containment is now at 10%, a significant improvement from 0% reported on Monday morning.
“Yesterday, Horse Gulch fire operations concluded that the control line would effectively contain the fire from Cave Gulch Road on the southern edge, extending west along Jimtown Road and north to Kingsberry Gulch. Thanks to the diligent efforts of crews, equipment operators, and aircraft pilots, that part of the fire perimeter is now contained,” stated fire officials in a press release on Tuesday.
Today, crews will focus on enhancing fire lines on the northern perimeter when weather conditions allow, particularly concentrating on the north side where the most fire activity is observed. Efforts will also be made to fortify fire lines at the top of Magpie Gulch.
The Structure Group will continue monitoring and inspecting structures within the fire area.
Evacuations have been downgraded from mandatory to evacuation warnings as of Monday. The affected area remains closed to the public, and residents must provide proof of residency to access the area.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Today, winds are expected to calm down before possible thunderstorms arrive, bringing a slight chance of rain with minimal impact on fire activity. Temperatures will be in the 90s-100, further drying out fuels and making them harder to control.
EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
Evacuations (UPDATED): As of 7/15/24, all evacuation orders have transitioned to evacuation warnings, allowing residents to return to their homes and RVs. Despite the warning, residents should be prepared to evacuate if conditions change. Sheriff – Lewis & Clark County (lccountymt.gov)
Road Closure: Canyon Ferry Road remains closed to the public from Canyon Ferry Village to the Broadwater County line.
Forest Closure: The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has updated their forest closure. Additional information can be found at Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest – Home (usda.gov)
BLM Closure: The Butte Field Office has issued a closure on BLM lands near the fire area. More details can be found at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/mthlf-horse-gulch-fire/signed-blm-area-closure-07-14-2024
