Firefighters are rushing to the Bull Mountains to help tame a fire that is approaching Highway 87 between Billings and Roundup.
The Montana Department of Transportation closed the road between the two cities at 3:30 p.m. Monday.
Fire-information officer Paula Rosenthal said first report of the fire came during the noon hour. It had about 200 acres in grass and scattered pine by mid afternoon. The northern border of the fire is Majerus Road about 25 miles north of Billings.
Rosenthal said the fire ignited along a swath of lightning strikes this weekend. It’s too early for the fire to have a name, she said, but more information should be available this evening.
Local and state firefighters are being assisted by federal resources from the nearby Bundy Ridge fire near Pompeys Pillar.
“We’re putting as many resources on it as are available,’’ she said.
The fire is burning near the site of the gigantic Hawk Creek Fire of 1984, one of the largest and most destructive fires in Montana history.
http://billingsgazette.net/news/state/43-bullmtns.txt
Utah fire
Start Date: July 16, 2006
Fire Information: 435.979.2838
Cause: Lightning
Current Size: 1,500 Acres
Location: Located on the Fishlake National Forest, Fillmore Ranger District, 3 miles northeast of Cove Fort, Millard County, Utah.
Containment: 0%
Terrain: Valley bottoms to ridge tops including steep terrain with limited access.
Vegetation: Pinion, juniper, sagebrush, gamble oak and grass.
Resources: Total number of people on incident - Approximately 59
1 Type II Helicopters 7 Engines 2 Dozers
2 Hand crews 2 Overhead
Fire Behavior: Extreme.
Closures: Dog Valley Spring road is closed to public, fire personnel only.
Structures: Fire is progressing southwesterly and within two miles of the Cove Fort area. Numerous engines and dozers are in place to provide structure protection.
Injuries: No injuries to report.
Note: At 18:00 today, Lund’s National Type II Team will make transition and further fire information will come from her team.
http://www.utahfireinfo.gov/wildfires2006/dogvalleyfire.htm