Arson Charges To Be Filed In Connection To Exit 530 Fire On Crow Indian Reservation

In an open field, the Exit 530 fire burned a shed Saturday evening (July 31st) just east of Lodge Grass and moved through 24 acres of grass and brush into coulees where it jumped the Little Bighorn River.

An individual is getting charged with arson for this human-caused fire, that threatened multiple structures and homes.

BIA crews worked the Exit 530 fire until midnight and returned Sunday morning, to do heavy mop-up in cottonwoods by the Little Bighorn River.

As of Sunday morning, the fire is 20% contained.

Initial attack included help from the Forty Mile Hutterite colony, Lodge Grass Volunteer Fire Department, and PF Fire resources as well as two BIA engines and our helicopter and helitack.

Lodge Grass VFD watched the area overnight. 

“It really worked out that BIA Police were right there,” said fire investigator Will Wiggins, visiting from BIA Michigan Agency.

A person set the fire intentionally and charges are being filed.

No further information is available yet about that investigation. “We’re watching,” Wiggins said.

BIA Crow firefighters responded to eight smaller new human-caused fires since Tuesday, July 27, when the 65,000+ acre PF fire (formerly known as Poverty Flats) started north of the Reservation.

They included the 17-acre Highway 1 fire July 27th, in farm ground south of Two Leggins and BIA Highway 1, two small fires by Pryor dump (one at 2 a.m. Sunday) and shooting range, three fires by the Lodge Grass dumping area and north of Lodge Grass, one near Crow Headstart, and one in southeast Dunmore.

High temps in Crow revisit 99 degrees Monday.

Even with a 40% chance of locally heavy showers Tuesday night, temperatures return to 96 degrees by Thursday.

Our grass and Wolf Mountains are still extremely dry.

Last week most of the Reservation felt only a trace of rain, though more hit spots in the Pryors and Bighorns.

Wind from the east and south may reduce overhead smoke until Tuesday, when west winds bring smoke.

Till Crow Fair, we have below normal chances of rain.