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Chi Chi FireChi Chi Fire photos Date of Update: November 19, 2007, 1730 hours Current Situation: Fire crews worked on hot spots over the weekend. No fire crews are on the fire today, the responsibility of patrolling has been turned over to the landowners today. Snow is currently falling over the burned area. Investigation: The fire investigators have determined the fire was human caused and started on private land. Because the county attorney and the sheriff were both victims of this fire, the investigation will be turned over to the appropriate state agencies. The investigating agency will be the state Department of Criminal Investigation and will most likely be placed with the office of the state fire marshal. Prosecution responsibility will be turned over to the office of the state attorney general. Additional damage not yet reported: One fire truck damaged but repairable. Fire Size: 18,000 acres. More accurate mapping will be completed the week of November 26th.Click here for the current map
Date of Update: November 16, 2007, 1230 hours Fire Cause: The investigation has determined the Chi Chi Fire was human caused and started on private land. The investigation is ongoing and no other details will be available until the investigation is concluded. Fire Size: 18,000 acres
Date of Update: November 15, 2007, 1630 hours Thursday Activities: Crews continue to cool hotspots, the fire
will be in patrol status tonight. A reconnaissance flight showed hotspots are
concentrated in the timber near the source of the fire (about 10 miles west of
the town of Melville) and in very few spots near the town of Melville, interior
to the fire perimeter. Residents should expect to see smoke in these areas
for an extended period of time. All other information remains the same as this morning's update, listed below.
Date of Update: November 15, 2007, 1030 hours Fire Location: 20 miles north of Big Timber in the Melville area Cause: Unknown, investigation is ongoing. The fire investigation has determined that the fire started on private land. Forest Service ownership and private ownership sections are in a checkerboard pattern in this part of the crazies thus making it difficult during initial attack to determine land ownership when the fire began. Tuesday Night Activities: Crews responded to trees torching near 2 homes in the fire area. Highway 191 was re-opened as state highway crews completed repairs on a bridge near mile marker 19. Wednesday Activities: Damage assessment continued Wednesday. Crews continued to work on hotspots in the heavy fuels in the creek bottoms. Crews worked on cooling torching trees near the southern perimeter of the fire on the west side of Highway 191. Crews also got line around a spot fire in the same vicinity just outside of the fire perimeter. They were successful in putting out the spot fire.
Injuries: One firefighter treated for smoke inhalation. Values Lost: 3 residences, 3 cabins, 36 outbuildings (with contents), 2 commercial greenhouses, 1 settlement school building, 2 private bridges, 1 state bridge, 1 Sweet Grass County Fire Department engine, thousands of acres of pasture land, fencing, and thousands of bales of hay. Two residences were also damaged but were saved. Livestock losses appear to be minimal at this time, but many cattle and sheep have been scorched and the possibility of livestock losses rising is probable. Resources: About 30 personnel from Big Timber/Sweet Grass VFD, Department of State Lands, and the US Forest Service, along with engines and heavy machinery. Fire Size: Unknown, estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 acres.
Date of Update: November 13, 2007, 1700 hours Evacuations: All evacuation and pre-evacuation orders have been lifted as of 1600 hours tonight. Hwy 191 remains closed at this time. Fire Location: 20 miles north of Big Timber in the Melville area Cause: Unknown, investigation is ongoing. Situation: The Chi Chi Fire was reported at approximately 1535 hours on Monday, November 12 in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains west of Melville. A multi-jurisdictional response involving Federal, State, and county fire suppression resources soon followed. The fire, driven by gale force winds, crossed Wheeler Creek Road and Anderson Road before crossing Hwy 191 between mile marker 19 and 22 and continuing in a general easterly direction to Cayuse Creek. The fire is in patrol status tonight, resources will return to mop up the fire tomorrow. Injuries: One firefighter treated for smoke inhalation. Values Lost: Three homes and numerous outbuildings burned. All homeowners who lost homes have been notified. Thousands of acres of pasture and several large haystacks also burned. Sweet Grass County Fire Department lost one engine. Fire Size: Unknown, estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 acres.
Date of Update: November 13, 2007, 0800 hours Fire Location: 20 miles north of Big Timber in the Melville area Cause: Unknown, under investigation. Situation: The Chi Chi Fire was reported at approximately 1535 hours on Monday, November 12 in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains west of Melville. A multi-jurisdictional response involving Federal, State, and county fire suppression resources soon followed. The fire, driven by gale force winds, crossed Wheeler Creek Road and Anderson Road before crossing Hwy 191 between mile marker 19 and 22 and continuing in a general easterly direction. Fire Crews, under a unified command organization, are currently concentrating on structure protection. Although burning actively throughout the night, snow and rain has helped reduce fire behavior to burning in heavy fuels in the creek bottoms ands allowed suppression personnel to take direct suppression action. Injuries: One firefighter treated for smoke inhalation. Values Lost: Three homes and numerous outbuildings burned. All homeowners who lost homes have been notified. Thousands of acres of pasture and several large haystacks also burned. Sweet Grass County Fire Department lost one engine. Fire Size: Unknown, estimated at over 20,000 acres. Road Closures: Hwy 191 between Big Timber and Harlow due to a burned bridge just north of mile marker 19. Evacuations: Melville Road, Anderson Road, Wheeler Creek Road, Cremer Road, Jabs Road, and Franklin Lane. An evacuation center is open at the Big Timber Civic Center. Evacuation Warnings: Tony Creek Road, Adams Lane, Big Timber Canyon Road, Wormser Loop Road. Structures: About 30 homes remain threatened. Resources: Sweet Grass County Fire, Department of State Lands, Mutual Aid from numerous area fire departments, Gallatin National Forest, and Yellowstone National Park. Resources Requested: Additional engines, aircraft, and overhead personnel. Weather: Heavy snow reported in the fire area at 0800 hours
Date of Update: November 13, 2007, 0430 hours Fire Location: 20 miles north of Big Timber in the Melville area Cause: Unknown, under investigation. Situation: The Chi Chi Fire was reported at approximately 1535 hours on Monday, November 12 in the foothills of the Crazy Mountains west of Melville. Driven by gale force winds, it crossed Wheeler Creek Road and Anderson Road before crossing Hwy 191 between mile marker 19 and 22 and continuing in a general easterly direction. Crews are currently concentrating on structure protection. Fire Size: Unknown, estimated at over 20,000 acres. Road Closures: Hwy 191 between Big Timber and Harlow due to a burned bridge just north of mile marker 19. Evacuations: Melville Road, Anderson Road, Wheeler Creek Road, Cremer Road, Jabs Road, and Franklin Lane. An evacuation center is open at the Big Timber Civic Center. Evacuation Warnings: Tony Creek Road, Adams Lane, Big Timber Canyon Road, Wormser Loop Road. Structures: About 30 homes are threatened, no homes reported lost at this time. Damage assessment will start tomorrow. Resources: Sweet Grass County Fire, Department of State Lands, Mutual Aid from numerous area fire departments, Gallatin National Forest. Resources Requested: Additional engines, aircraft, and overhead personnel. Weather: Snow and rain reported in the fire area at 0430 hours. |
