ASHLAND - Two of the state's largest wildfires have merged even as state and federal authorities pour more resources into the battle.
The Deadman Fire and the Anderson Fire merged on Sunday, according to the Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services, creating a combined wildfire with a total estimated area at nearly 16,000 acres. There was 20 percent containment reported on the Deadman Fire.
The previous largest wildfire in the state near Helena, the Horse Gulch Fire, was estimated Monday at just under 13,000 acres.
The two merged fires will now be referred to as the Deadman Fire, according to fire officials. The wildfires and several others in the region were started by dry lightning on July 12 and 13, including the McGhee, Prairie Dog, Hackley, and Four-Mile fires. The total combined area of the wildfires is estimated at 22,000 acres.
A Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3 took command of these fires at 6 a.m. Monday, fire officials said. Some evacuations have been ordered.
RELATED:Deadman Fire in Rosebud County forces residents to evacuate
Here's the most current status of the fires from the Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services:
CURRENT STATUS
Landowners, ranchers, local fire departments, and state and federal land agencies have worked incredibly hard the past several days fighting these fires and have made significant progress. Crews and landowners have been building miles of fire lines and conducting burnout operations to gain ground. Last night, the McGhee Fire pushed northwest toward Birney. Today, the Flathead Interagency Hotshot Crew and other resources will be working to connect pieces of fire line to secure that part of the fire. The prevailing wind direction today should help. The team is assessing needs, developing a plan, and ordering resources, although as fire season picks up in Montana, resources will begin to be stretched.
WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR
Fuel moistures are low, making fire behavior erratic even without strong winds. Fire continues to carry in the grass and mixed shrubs, even overnight. Spotting may be an issue throughout the day, especially as winds increase. Hot and dry conditions are expected into the foreseeable future.
CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES
An evacuation warning remains in place for residents along the Tongue River Road from the Tongue River Bridge at Wall Creek to the southern Rosebud County line. Specific closure information and maps on the Rosebud and/or Big Horn County Facebook Pages.
