Elk Fire Update 5:30pm Friday 10-11-24

Friday 5:30pm

Size: 79,280 acres (2,902-acre increase)
Total Personnel: 929
Containment: 14 percent
Resources: 10 helicopters | 1 UAS | 4 air tankers | 20 crews | 66 engines | 8 dozers | 16 water tenders | 5 masticators | 7 skidders | 5 feller bunchers | 1 processor

Afternoon Operations Update per Bighorn National Forest: On the Elk Fire, firing operations continued today, heading south from the Big Goose Canyon area, with the eventual goal of reaching down to and tying into Red Grade Road. Work on Red Grade Road also continues, with many types of heavy equipment working on and along the road. Crews are patrolling containment lines on the east, and are providing mop-up in the Crystal Springs and Horseshoe subdivisions. Up on the western flanks, fire continues grow in some areas, with crews working on structure protection in the Burgess area. In the north, crews continue to work along Road 144 with the goal of keeping the fire from spreading into Little Horn Canyon.

This following area is  downgraded to a “Ready” status:

The area at Pass Creek Road from Hwy 345 west to Slack Road and north to the Montana state line. This includes the residences along Slack Road. South along East Pass Creek Road from its intersection with Pass Creek Rd to the Forest Service boundary continuing east to include the length of Twin Creek Road to move from a Set to a Ready.

Officials will continue to monitor fire behavior and assess the need to change any evacuation levels.

There have been no changes to the current road closures.

As we’ve been sharing, firefighters are implementing Strategic Firing Operations at the southern edge of the #ElkFire. The fire has continued to push southward, threatening both the Big Goose Creek Watershed and communities to the south and east.

In a carefully-coordinated series of operations, the Incident Management Team is using fire to create containment line, starting near the Big Goose Creek Water Intake Facility and moving to the south. The goal is take fuel away from the fire and prevent it from impacting the watershed and area communities.

Weather Forecast: Northeast Bighorn Mountains-Including the city of Burgess Jct 512 PM MDT Fri Oct 11 2024 .

SATURDAY…Decreasing clouds. Areas of smoke in the morning and early afternoon. Highs in the upper 50s. West winds 5 to 10 mph in the morning shifting to the northeast 5 to 15 mph in the afternoon

..SATURDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 30s. East winds5 to 10 mph in the evening shifting to the south overnight

..SUNDAY…Sunny. Highs in the mid 50s. South winds 5 to 10 mph in the morning shifting to the northeast 5 to 15 mph in the afternoon

..SUNDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 30s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph

..COLUMBUS DAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s

..MONDAY NIGHT…Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s

..TUESDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s

WEDNESDAY…Sunny. Highs in the lower 60s

THURSDAY…Partly sunny. Chance of rain showers in the morning,then chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Cooler.Highs in the upper 40s. Chance of precipitation 50 percent

..THURSDAY NIGHT…Snow showers likely in the evening, then chance of snow showers overnight. Colder. Lows in the lower 20s. Chance of precipitation 60 percent.