Buffalo Pasture Fire Burning In Crow Reservation Canyon

Fire Crews on the Crow Indian Reservation are battling a new fire that has gotten off to a fast start.

The fire is burning in the Bull Elk Canyon about 10 miles south of the Okabeh Marina, and fire crews say it is burning in heavy fuels on both sides of the steep canyon walls, with rapid rates of spread and flame lengths of 100-to-150 feet.

The canyon forest has about 800-to-1,000 tons per acre of heavy timber that has not burned in many years, hence it will produce a lot of smoke.

Crews are trying to keep the fire from advancing toward Black Canyon, where about 15 people live.

Bureau of Indian Affairs fire management has been in contact with those people, who are safe for now.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for the area and it is set to expire at 10pm Tuesday (June 15th).

Wind gusts are expected to get up to 35 miles per hour, before a cold front passes through later in the day.