Fire near Zortman

The wildfire that is covering parts of the Fort Belknap Reservation, Phillips, and Blaine Counties, known as the Pine Grove Fire, has been burning now for eight days.

The fire was first reported on Monday, August 16, around 11:30 a.m. It is believed to be human-caused, but that is still under investigation.

On that Monday night, a voluntary evacuation was requested by the Phillips County Sheriff's Office for Zortman. Later on Tuesday, August 17, that was changed to a mandatory evacuation for Zortman due to high winds that were forecast for the area. Residents were asked to pack only the essentials and go to the Old National Guard Armory in Malta where the Red Cross had set up a shelter, providing meals, water, and beds.

On Thursday, August 19, at 6 AM, the Montana DNRC County Assist Team (CAT) assumed command of the fire.

Also on Thursday, the mandatory evacuation was dropped to a warning due to the winds not materializing as was forecast, and rain in the area.

On that day, it was reported that the fire was 19 percent contained. Over this past weekend, with rain and overcast weather helping, the percent contained jumped to 38 percent. On Monday, August 23, it was reported to be 58 percent contained. The increase of containment occurring on the fire's southeast edge.

As of the latest report, the fire has consumed 16,004 acres. There have been 11 structures reported burned. One being the place where the fire is believed to have started, and the other 10 are believed to be secondary structures.

There has been a total of 187 personnel fighting the blaze. Current resources on the fire include two twenty-person hand crews and nine engines.

These statistics are taken from the daily incident reports put out by the Montana DNRC CAT website.

There are a few road closures including Mission Canyon, White Cow Canyon, and Coming Day roads, as well as the roads going to Camp Creek Campground and Witcom Cabin.

A rough estimate of total containment has been put at Thursday, August 26. As long as future weather holds as forecast.

Fort Belknap Tribe is accepting donations to support those impacted by the fire. Those supplies can be dropped at the Kills at Night Center in Hays, MT.