State team takes over command at Little Rockies fire

The Pine Grove Fire in the Little Rocky Mountains, which has led to the evacuation of Zortman and the Pine Grove area on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, is being run as a Type 3 incident with a state fire management team in command and updates being posted on the InciWeb website.

Firefighters are dealing with the fire in cooler, more humid weather than when the fire was first discovered, and National Weather Service reports about a half-inch of rain fell in the region Wednesday afernoon, significantly more than was predicted in the forecast Tuesday morning.

The InciWeb entry said Evacuations remain in place for Pine Grove, Zortman and Star Hill. Evacuation

Warnings remain in place for the communities of Hays and Lodge Pole.

Roads remain closed in the area of the fire.

It said minimal fire growth to the south, west and southeast is expected due to precipitation.

A helicopter is also in use to deliver water to critical hot spots.

The fire was discovered about 11:30 a.m. Monday, and has grown to more than 17,000 acres.

As of this morning’s update, it was listed as 19 percent contained and is burning timber and grass.

The overview on the InciWeb page said the fire started three miles northeast of Hays from a structure and spread into the wildland.  The cause of the fire is undedetermined.

In the first 24 hours, wind quickly pushed it to more than 10,000 acres and triggered mandatory evacuation notices for Pine Grove and Zortman with Level 2 evacuation notices in effect for the communities of Hays and Lodge Pole.  

Three evacuation centers are in place, in Hays, Enemy Killer — Nosy Gym — and in Zortman at the Malta Armory.

During this initial period, the fire destroyed one structure, where the fire started.

Fire is moving through grass, timber, and brush on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation and Bureau of Land Management land. There was a report of one other structure lost during Tuesday night. Structure assessments are occurring. 

Due to the complexity of the incident, a Type 3 Incident Management Team was sent to brief with the Fort Belknap Fire Management staff, and they will take command of the fire today, the site said.

The Fort Belknap Indian Community declared a state of emergency Wednesday.

Firefighters from Fort Belknap and other cooperating agencies are figthing the fire. Primary spread is to the south-southwest toward mines.

Fire management was to conduct an aerial flight Wednesday to assess fire location and extent of growth.

Firefighters were also working in the Pine Grove and the Lodge Pole Communities to put out any heat near structures that may cause a future threat.

Fort Belknap Cultural Representatives are working closely with firefighters to help them protect  culturally important sites. 

A helicopter is also in use to deliver water to critical hot spots.

Additional resources are on order and are arriving.

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Online: Pine Grove Fire InciWeb page: https://InciWeb.nwcg.gov/incident/7812 .