Fires South of Bozeman Growing Past 8,000 Acres – Size and Closures Here

The Minor Paradise Complex Incident consists of four fires, Emigrant, North Eightmile, Horsetail and Sheep Creek, South of Bozeman. The cause of the fire is reported to be lightning and is now around 2000 acres in size. More info on closures and fire containment inside.

A public Meeting will be held at Montana Weatherization Training Center at 705 Osterman Drive Suite A, Bozeman, Tuesday, August 20 at 7:30 p.m. Map and directions to meeting will be posted on Inciweb.

A public meeting will be held in Emigrant for the Sheep and Emigrant fires at the Paradise Valley Fire Station Tuesday, August 20 at 7:00 p.m. Map and directions to meeting will be posted on Inciweb

Emigrant Fire: Currently only has one evacuation to the south.

No evacuations are in place along the north boundary or in the Chico area. Additional Closures will be in effect for Tom Miner and Emigrant Fires. Closure maps on Inciweb.

Updated August 19th, 2013 at 10pm

Sheep Fire
Cause: Lightning
Size: 133 acres
Location: Sawtooth Mountain in Tom Miner Basin, approximately 25 miles northwest of Gardiner
Closures: Tuesday a Closure Order in the Tom Miner Basin will be implemented on National Forest System Lands affected by the Sheep Fire along the southern portion of the Tom Miner Basin which will include the Tom Miner Campground. Map will be made available on Inciweb.

North Eightmile
Cause: Lighting
Size: 76 acres
Location: North Fork Eightmile Creek, approximately 20 miles southwest of Livingston
Closures: East Fork Hyalite - East Fork of Hyalite closed including Palisade Falls Trailhead and picnic area, Emerald Lake Trailhead and Flanders Creek drainage. Closure map is available on Inciweb.

Horsetail Fire
Cause: Lightning
Size: 12 acres
Location: ½ mile north of Horsetail Falls, east of Flanders Mountain
Closures: East Fork Hyalite - East Fork of Hyalite closed including Palisade Falls Trailhead and picnic area, Emerald Lake Trailhead and Flanders Creek drainage.

Emigrant
Cause: Lightning
Size: 1,979 acres
Location: South of Emigrant Peak, between Gold Prize Creek and North Fork Sixmile Creek
Closures: The Emigrant Fire Closure will expand to include National Forest System lands along the western boundary, north to Chico area in section 13, 17 and 18, running along the east Chico Peak to Monitor Peak and south to the over to Dome Mountain WMA. The Monitor Peak Trail #61, Trail #62 to Knox and Fish Lakes along with Trail #33 bumping into Trail #60 to Monitor Peak from the South. A full map will be available on inciweb.

The Forest Service portion of Sixmile Creek Road from its junction with the Dailey Lake Road will be closed until further notice.

The Sixmile Creek Trial (#61) and North Fork of Sixmile Creek Trail (#606) will be closed to their junction with Trail #601 north of Monitor Peak. Connector Trail #601 will remain open.

People traveling near the Emigrant Fire Helibase are urged to be cautious of fire personnel and the helicopter operating near Conlin Road.