Monday Fire Updates – Pine Creek, Millie, 19 Mile

The Pine Creek Fire is now at 7800 acres and is 40% contained.

Weather will continue to be dry and breezy today and in places, the fire may become more active as fuels continue to dry out from the moisture received on Saturday.

The East River Road is open to residents only from Carter's Bridge to south of George Creek. The southern roadblock has been moved to the north side of George Creek. There is also a road block on the Pine Creek Road. Residents are urged to limit driving between 0800-1000 and 1800-2000 because of increased fire vehicle traffic.

Effective at 8:00a.m. on September 3, 2012:

Roadblock locations will be

·- East River Road and just north of George Creek Road

·- Highway 89 and East River Road

·- Pine Creek Road

Those residents that live on Deep Creek Road and Lower Deep Creek Bench Road are still under a mandatory evacuation.

The areas that have been changed to a pre-evacuation notice are:

·- Lower Luccock Park Road

·- Barney Creek Road

·- Pine Creek Road area

Only residents will be able to access these areas through the road block.

Residents will need to go to the Pine Creek Fire Station to check in with the Sheriff's Office before entering through the road block tomorrow morning.

There will be no access to Luccock Park Road beyond the last residence.

Residents that are returning to their homes are encouraged to stay at their property.

Residents are also encouraged to stay off the roads during the early morning and early evening hours to prevent interfering with firefighters accessing and leaving the fire area.

Closure areas and locations of roadblocks will be assessed daily by the Park County Sheriff's Office, in consultation with fire operations managers.

A forest area closure is in effect for the area from the West Boulder River west to the forest boundary in Paradise Valley, and from the forest boundary south of Livingston to George Lake and east to the Tumble Creek drainage which is a tributary of the West Boulder River.

The Millie Fire is now at 10, 186 acres, and 10% contained, with an official containment date set for November 1st.

A more stable atmosphere combined with cooler temperature and less wind is predicted today. Relative humidity will be lower, however, creating potential for more active behavior.

Incident objectives include providing for firefighter and public safety, and protecting the municipal watershed of Hyalite and Bozeman drainages.

Another Fire Information Meeting will be held at 6:00p.m. this evening at Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf St., in Bozeman.

The public is reminded that fire traffic on roads in the area, combined with returning holiday traffic will make driving especially hazardous. Please use caution when driving.

The 19 Mile Fire is now at 4160 acres, and 72% contained.

Another public meeting will be scheduled only if there's a change in the fire.

BLM has closed OHV trail/connector routes #24, 25, 26 from Whiskey Gulch Trailhead to a point just north of I-90, located T2N R6W, sections 23-26 and 35. The Forest Service has closed Rader Creek/Moose Creek Road #240 from Homestake Pass T2N R7W, Section 13 to Highway 2, T1N R6W Section 16. Fire officials are asking the public to avoid using Highway 2 between Butte and Whitehall to provide for the safety of firefighters and the public. Recreationists expecting to ride in the Pipestone OHV area north of I-90 over Labor Day weekend are asked to make alternative plans in case of a closure due to fire activity.

Evacuation and closure orders were lifted for the public to the interior of the fire effective 8:00 a.m. Sunday.