Progress On Buffalo Pasture Fire Better Than Expected

Fire crews battling the Buffalo Pasture Fire on the Crow Indian Reservation in Montana, have made a lot of progress, now that they’ve been able to get to areas that they weren’t able to get to before.

Infrared detection flights Sunday and Monday (June 20th and 21st) found the fire still has plenty of invisible flame smoldering below limestone canyon walls at its north and south extremities, as well as on the southwest ridge toward Little Bull Elk Canyon. 

Thanks to the two crews who remain digging and improving firelines within the canyon, the 244 acre fire was 65% contained Monday.

The fire acreage diminished only because no one could safely walk the burned area in the canyon until Saturday to generate an accurate map.

Sunday’s cool winds only rained enough to “make the roads less dusty,” said Tracy Spang, Type 3 incident commander trainee until Monday.

Crews laid hose Monday over the canyon walls to aid mop up below.

Mop up is the tedious work of removing all heat from recently burning materials, stirring and turning in dirt or water to snuff any burning.

Firefighters carry bear spray as a blond black bear visited firelines Friday.

Tuesday the Crow and Oregon crews are mopping up the south side of the fire, eliminating smokes 50 feet from the fireline.

The Mad River hotshots left the fire Monday morning for a new assignment.

Although more than 50 firefighters remain at work, the fire transitioned Monday to Type 4 management by engine boss Garret Costa.

Though days of mop up remain, this may be the last Buffalo Pasture fire update.

About noon Saturday on the Camp 1 Road west of Dunmore, a recreational vehicle burned in the West Dunmore fire.

Two propane tanks on board exploded.

Their flaming shrapnel started a 2 acre grass fire that was quelled by two BIA engines and water support from Big Horn County Rural Fire.

Someone left hot material at the Pryor Dump to cause the small Edgar Road fire west of Pryor Saturday evening. 

Vehicles or careless burning cause many of our unplanned fires. To drive carefree, please maintain your vehicle properly.

Please keep heat away from garbage.

Temperatures return to 94 degrees today and Wednesday in Crow.