UPDATE - the fire has burned 7,000 acres - click here
The South Moccasin Fire in Fergus County has grown to an estimated 1,200 acres as of Monday evening (October 4, 2021).
The fire was reported at about 12:45 a.m. on Monday, and is located several miles north of Lewistown.
Numerous firefighting agencies have responded.
The Montana Fire Info website says that it is currently being managed as a Type 3 Incident, with at least 50 personnel on site, along with aerial resources. Fire behavior is said to be extreme.
Denton Highway (MT-81) near west Lewistown has instituted a closure from Mile Marker 24.8 to 42, including the junction with US-191.
People are asked to avoid the area as much as possible to allow fire response efforts to get into the area and maintain personal safety. Anyone who is near the area is asked to reduce speed and be mindful of any posted signs restricting access or calling for alternate routes.
At this point, there are no reports of any injuries, and no reports of damaged or threatened homes or buildings.
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
NOTE: The Inciweb site reports that the fire has burned 1,200 acres; the MTFireInfo site on Monday evening said the fire had burned 5,000 acres. The revised lower number is likely due to more precise mapping of fire perimeter
Visit the Inciweb site for more information.
