An aerial assessment Saturday of the Grouse Fire southwest of Wise Creek mapped the wildfire at 2,097 acres, an area roughly equivalent to three square miles.
A Sunday update from the Forest Service said there are 232 personnel assigned to the fire.
A Sikorsky helicopter assisted with water drops Saturday to cool fireline construction. The “skycrane” is capable of holding roughly 2,000 gallons of water.
The Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest announced it will host a community fire briefing Aug. 5 at 6 p.m. in the Wise River Community Foundation Building.
The Forest Service said the Flathead Interagency Hotshot Crew has continued constructing fireline on the north flank of the fire by Stine Mountain, progressing east. A “hotshot crew” is typically defined as an intensively trained fire crew used primarily in hand line construction.”
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The Bonneville Interagency Hotshot Crew is also working the Grouse Fire, which is about 10 miles southwest of Wise River and off the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway.
The Bonneville Crew has focused on working with structure protection equipment — pumps, hoses and sprinklers — near residences in the Pettengill Creek area, The Forest Service said.
“On the eastern edge of the fire perimeter, crews are using existing and improved control features — such as prepped firelines — to prevent fire spread to the north and east, to suppress spot fires, and extinguish hot spots to protect private property along Pettengill Creek,” the Forest Service said.
The Forest Service has reported that roughly 47 structures are within the fire planning area.
The cause of the Grouse Fire remains undetermined.
The Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway is open but motorists traveling through the fire area are directed to drive 35 mph and yield to firefighting equipment, engines and vehicles.
