Fire officials said Monday all the evacuation notices issued for the Short Draw Fire in southeast Montana have been rescinded.
The wildfire that started in Wyoming on Sept. 11 and quickly spread north into Montana has burned an estimated 35,222 acres, according to the latest update from fire officials. They report the fire is 40 percent contained.
A total of 233 firefighters continued to work on the wildfire. Firefighting efforts continue to employ 20 engines, two helicopters, six hand crews, and three heavy equipment. The cause of the fire has not been determined.
RELATED: Biddle residents face evacuation as Short Draw fire grows
Fire officials provided this additional information:
All evacuation warnings and notices issued by the Powder River County Sheriff's Office and Campbell County Sheriff's Office [campbellcountywy.gov] have been rescinded.
The Montana DNRC County Assist Team and local agencies have been connecting with affected landowners to provide available resources. For information on post-fire relief, please visit: https://www.uwyo.edu/barnbackyard/resources/wildfire.html [uwyo.edu].
Current Status
Crews are actively working to establish control lines along the fire perimeter and will continue to patrol and work inward from these lines to extinguish hotspots. Restoration of dozer lines has begun across the fire area. Several coal seams were discovered throughout the fire and have been properly addressed and mapped. Yesterday, a coal seam flare up caused an increase in the total fire size by 125-acres outside of the containment line in the southeast region. Hand crews and aircraft successfully contained this area and are actively monitoring for any potential flare-ups. Structure protection efforts continue to safeguard residents and critical assets.
Weather and Fire Behavior
Warm and dry conditions are expected for Monday, with southerly winds and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. On Tuesday, a larger weather system will bring southerly winds with a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms overspreading the fire area in the afternoon and evening.
Isolated pockets of heat and unburned green vegetation remain within the interior, and flare-ups are likely in the coming days as shifting winds ignite these fuel sources. On the southeastern side, fire activity persists, with occasional hotspots and isolated torching.
Evacuations And Closures
All evacuation warnings and notices associated with the fire area have been rescinded. Please avoid the fire area as crews and aerial resources continue fire suppression efforts. The roads remain closed to non-local traffic. Ensuring firefighter safety and protecting life and preservation of grazing lands are most important.
There is a temporary flight restriction (TFR) over the fire area. For firefighter safety, please do not fly unmanned aerial systems in the area.
