The Shellrock Fire burning north of Helena remains at 300 acres while the 467 Trail Fire southeast of Lincoln grew by about 10 acres.
Firefighters prepared for a burn operation on Wednesday afternoon weather permitting, and continued to patrol and secure the fire’s perimeter.
The fire is zero percent contained and has closed the Beartooth Wildlife Management Area.
Two engines, three helicopters, 14 smokejumpers, two dozers, and two skidgens are assigned to the fire. Fire managers said more resources are expected to arrive on Wednesday evening, including a contract helicopter and a 20-person fire team from Alaska.
No evacuations are in place for the lightning-caused fire, which started on Saturday, August 11.
A pre-evacuation notice remains in place, however, for the 467 Trail Fire in the Poorman Creek area. The notice affects residents in the McQuithy Gulch and Marsh Creek areas.
The fire is now 30 acres in size and is 30 percent contained.
The fire became very active late Tuesday afternoon and crossed a portion of the fireline on the southeastern edge.
Firefighters called in assistance from six air tankers and a helicopter to keep the fire’s growth in check.
The fire started by lightning on Saturday, August 11.
Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest officials also reported that three local firefighters were flying into the Scapegoat Wilderness near Bighorn Lake on Wednesday to suppress a small fire.
The Bighorn Fire is about 1/10 of an acre and showed minimal growth activity. The fire is near a large patch of standing dead timber, however.
Fire managers decided to suppress the fire rather than manage it within the Wilderness boundary due to the hot and dry weather, the dead timber, and the lack of available resources.
- Update on Howe Ridge Fire in Glacier National Park (Wed Aug 15)
- Fire officials: Lewis and Clark County may need Stage I fire restrictions
- Beartooth WMA closed due to Shellrock fire
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