GREAT FALLS — Five firefighters were injured when a wind shift blew a wildfire back over their position as they were constructing a defensive fire line on the perimeter of the Devils Creek Fire in Garfield County on Thursday, July 22nd.
The injured firefighters were members of federal crews called in to assist fedreal Bureau of Land Management, Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, Garfield County, and local resources already on scene.
A news release from BLM on Friday morning says the firefighters were evacuated and are undergoing further medical evaluation to determine the extent of their injuries.
No other information about the firefighters has been released at this point.
The lightning-sparked fire is burning in rough, steep terrain near the Pine Grove School, about 36 miles northwest of Jordan, and east of Devils Creek Road which accesses the south shore of Fort Peck Reservoir.
The fire has burned about 375 acres of BLM and private land as of Friday morning.
Numerous wind shifts and rapid rates of spread resulted in erratic fire behavior as thunderstorms and associated cells were passing over the area when the incident occurred.
We will update you if we get more information, including how people can support or donate to the firefighters and/or their families.
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