HELENA — Fire officials reported that the Horse Gulch Fire showed minimal growth and increased containment on Tuesday morning.
The Horse Gulch Fire has burned 13,299 acres as of the morning of Tuesday, July 16. Fire crews conducted controlled burning to establish lines and boundaries in areas of the fire that had not yet burned. The total number of acres burned has increased by approximately 500 acres since the previous update on Monday.
Containment is now at 10%, a significant improvement from the 0% reported on Monday morning.
“Yesterday, fire crews determined that the control line would effectively contain the fire from Cave Gulch Road on the southern edge west along Jimtown Road and north to Kingsberry Gulch. Thanks to the hard work of the crews, equipment operators, and aircraft pilots, that part of the fire perimeter is now contained,” stated fire officials in a press release on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, crews will focus on enhancing fire lines on the northern perimeter as weather conditions allow, especially on the north side where the most fire activity is observed. Crews will also reinforce fire lines at the top of Magpie Gulch.
The Structure Group will continue to monitor and assess structures in the fire area.
Evacuation orders were downgraded from mandatory to evacuation warning on Monday. The affected area remains closed to the public, and residents must provide proof of residency to access the area.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Winds are expected to calm down today before possible thunderstorms bring a slight chance of rain, which may have a minimal impact on fire activity. Temperatures are predicted to be in the 90s-100s, further drying out fuels and making them resistant to control efforts.
EVACUATIONS AND CLOSURES
Evacuations (UPDATED): Effective 7/15/24, all evacuation orders have been shifted to evacuation warnings, allowing residents to return to their homes and RVs. Residents under evacuation warning should be prepared to leave if conditions change. Sheriff – Lewis & Clark County (lccountymt.gov)
The Red Cross Shelter in Helena is now closed.
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. Visit Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest – Home (usda.gov) for more information.
BLM Closure: The Butte Field Office has issued a closure on BLM lands near the fire area. Visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-publication/mthlf-horse-gulch-fire/signed-blm-area-closure-07-14-2024
