A wildfire that started on Friday at the upper end of Blacktail Canyon 4 miles southeast of Butte has grown to nearly 100 acres overnight. On Saturday, more air tankers and helicopters are set to join the firefighting efforts.
The fire was first reported shortly before 3 p.m. on Friday in the Homestake Pass area between Interstate 90 and Highway 2. Smoke billowed into the air as firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service and local departments rushed to the scene.
The fire is burning under hot, dry conditions in an area with plenty of dead and downed lodgepole pine trees, which is making firefighting efforts more challenging, according to officials from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
An evacuation warning has been issued for Blacktail Canyon Road southeast of Homestake Road and Homestake Road east of Blacktail Canyon Road. Sheriff Ed Lester emphasized that residents should be prepared to evacuate, although no formal order has been issued.
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Sheriff Lester advised residents not to wait for an evacuation order if they feel unsafe or need extra time to evacuate.
The cause of the fire remains unknown, but its size was estimated to be 96 acres as of late Saturday morning. The fire is now officially named the Blacktail Canyon Fire.
This photo by the U.S. Forest Service shows an up-close view of the Blacktail Canyon Fire east of Butte.
Seven large air tankers and one “Very Large Air Tanker,” or VLAT, dropped fire retardant on Friday. Additionally, six helicopters provided aerial support through water bucket drops to help cool hot spots. Engines, a 20-person crew, and other firefighters assisted on the ground. More resources, including large helicopters, water “scooper” airplanes, and additional crews, are expected to arrive on Saturday.
Firefighters are scouting for accessible areas to locate safe anchor points for fireline construction. Hotshot crews are working on constructing firelines to prevent the fire from progressing northward. Helicopter rappelers will work on constructing a helispot at the heel of the fire on top of Blacktail Canyon, while other crews assess critical areas at risk in Blacktail Canyon, Passmore Canyon, and Toll Mountain.
Fire managers are collaborating with Butte-Silver Bow officials to prioritize critical areas and protect private structures in the vicinity. However, the hot, dry weather conditions pose challenges for firefighting efforts.
Fire crews working overnight experienced dry lightning and gusty outflow winds, with similar fire behavior expected on Saturday due to ongoing hot and dry conditions. There is a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms over the weekend.
The smoke plumes were visible on Friday but became harder to spot on Saturday morning due to overall smoky conditions in and around Summit Valley.
Mike Smith is a reporter at the Montana Standard with a focus on government and politics.
