Ashland, MT Residents Allowed To Return Home; Public Meetings Scheduled

Two fires continue to burn on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in Montana, and firefighting efforts have done enough to allow some residents to return to their homes.

As of 9am Friday, August 13th, the Richard Spring Fire has burned more than 170,000 acres of land, while the Lame Deer Fire has burned more than 5,400 acres.

Both have 0% containment.

Residents in Ashland, Rabbit Town, North Tongue River Road and the St. Labre Indian Academy Campus have been allowed to return, but are advised to be ready in case they have to evacuate again.

Lame Deer, Muddy Cluster and the Rosebud Cut Across are still under evacuation orders.

US Highway 212 is closed between Broadus and Crow Agency to non-residents.

Fire Managers will be holding a public meeting at 6pm Friday at Colstrip Middle School and at 6pm Saturday at the Little Wolf Capital Building in Lame Deer.

Thanks to some precipitation Wednesday night, fire crews were able to engage the fire in a safer manner on Thursday.

Crews battling the Richard Spring Fire are working on mop up on the fire’s southeast perimeter near Ashland.

Those battling the Lame Deer Fire have an initial control line constructed around most of the fire perimeter and are working to keep the fire from crossing Lynch Coulee Road.