Firefighters are expected to complete a fireline between Maverick Mountain and Old Tim Creek on Thursday with the goal of gaining containment on the Sand Creek fire in coming days, incident commanders said Thursday.
Containment on both fires increased earlier this week, to 40% on the Bobcat Lakes fire and 7% on the Sand Creek fire. Warmer temperatures and lower humidity levels on Wednesday brought more active smoke to both fires than had been seen in recent days, particularly on the southwest side of the Sand Creek fire and the southeast perimeter of the Bobcat Lakes fire.
Officials said near-critical fire weather conditions have returned to the area, including temperatures near 80 degrees, relative humidity in the teens and breezy winds.
“Flanking and group-tree torching with short uphill runs are expected,” Thursday’s fire update said.
The Sand Creek fire was an estimated 31,757 acres as of Thursday morning, and the Bobcat Lakes fires was an estimated 9,910. There are now 796 personnel working the fires, as well as 44 engines, 14 crews and nine dozers.
Mike Behrens, the incident commander with Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3, said a rappel crew constructed helispots and continued work extinguishing any remaining hot spots near on the southeastern side of the Sand Creek fire near Dingley Lakes.
On Thursday, fire officials plan to have a hotshot crew inserted on the slope to build a handline up to where the rappel crew is working that officials say will prevent the fire from moving south toward Clark Creek.
Once the hotshot crews finish the handline between Maverick Mountain and Old Tim Creek, firefighters will start mopping up along the fires edge to gain containment. Crews also plan to remove more structure equipment from the Grasshopper Valley that is no longer needed, Behrens said.
Helicopters continue to support firefighters with water drops on the hot edges of the Bobcat Lakes fire, and a short-haul helicopter will be back to support rappel crews, Behrens said.
Crews are expected to continue work on the fireline along Lacy Creek, and crews are keeping water handling equipment at Jerked Prairie until there is a lower risk the fire could still affect the area. Firefighters are also continuing mop-up efforts on the fires northern side to increase containment, Behrens said.
The Dingley Zone of the Sand Creek fire remains under “go” evacuation orders and the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway remains closed, as do many areas in the Wisdom and Dillon Ranger districts of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.
Beaverhead County is also in Stage 1 fire restrictions.