Crews expand containment on Banana Lake Fire
Jun. 5—More seasonal weather this week has aided efforts to wrangle the Banana Lake Fire in Sanders County.
The blaze was 25% contained with a footprint of 883 acres Thursday morning, marking a slight reduction in size from previous estimates due to more accurate mapping from crews on the ground. The fire started May 31 in timber about 4 miles north of Plains. The cause remains under investigation.
No evacuation orders had been issued, but a few homes were in the vicinity of the fire's south edge.
"It's in good shape around those homes, but we're taking extra precautions to get good separation," said Nick Holloway, the public information officer for the incident.
Earlier in the week, the fire approach high-tension power lines that run through the area.
"It burned pretty close and that was a big concern," Holloway said. "That's a big value at risk."
The thick smoke from wildfires can conduct electricity if it gets into the lines, Holloway explained, making firefighting efforts more hazardous.
More than 235 firefighters were on the scene Thursday patrolling containment lines and working to secure the perimeter. According to Holloway, the fire experienced a "dirty burn" meaning there are areas of unburned vegetation on the edge. This makes mop-up challenging, as crews must carefully work through thick, uneven debris to find hot spots.
Drones were also being used to detect hot spots to ensure areas don't reignite.
Other apparatus on the incident included two helicopters, three dozers, 14 engines and 10 tenders.
Commuters on Montana 28 were warned to expect reduced speeds due to firefighter traffic.
"It's a big hazard when people are whizzing past on a winding road," Holloway said.
He also cautioned that fire activity could pick up over the weekend as hot weather and winds return. Gusts up to 20 mph are possible Friday. High temperatures will hit the upper 90s by Sunday and Monday.
"We're heading into a hot and dry weekend when it's already hot and dry," he warned.
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2 days ago
- Yahoo
Crews expand containment on Banana Lake Fire
Jun. 5—More seasonal weather this week has aided efforts to wrangle the Banana Lake Fire in Sanders County. The blaze was 25% contained with a footprint of 883 acres Thursday morning, marking a slight reduction in size from previous estimates due to more accurate mapping from crews on the ground. The fire started May 31 in timber about 4 miles north of Plains. The cause remains under investigation. No evacuation orders had been issued, but a few homes were in the vicinity of the fire's south edge. "It's in good shape around those homes, but we're taking extra precautions to get good separation," said Nick Holloway, the public information officer for the incident. Earlier in the week, the fire approach high-tension power lines that run through the area. "It burned pretty close and that was a big concern," Holloway said. "That's a big value at risk." The thick smoke from wildfires can conduct electricity if it gets into the lines, Holloway explained, making firefighting efforts more hazardous. More than 235 firefighters were on the scene Thursday patrolling containment lines and working to secure the perimeter. According to Holloway, the fire experienced a "dirty burn" meaning there are areas of unburned vegetation on the edge. This makes mop-up challenging, as crews must carefully work through thick, uneven debris to find hot spots. Drones were also being used to detect hot spots to ensure areas don't reignite. Other apparatus on the incident included two helicopters, three dozers, 14 engines and 10 tenders. Commuters on Montana 28 were warned to expect reduced speeds due to firefighter traffic. "It's a big hazard when people are whizzing past on a winding road," Holloway said. He also cautioned that fire activity could pick up over the weekend as hot weather and winds return. Gusts up to 20 mph are possible Friday. High temperatures will hit the upper 90s by Sunday and Monday. "We're heading into a hot and dry weekend when it's already hot and dry," he warned.
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DNRC Type 5 engine on the Banana Lake Fire. (Photo from Inciweb) With one fire blowing up over the weekend and an expected worse-than-average wildfire season across Montana, Gov. Greg Gianforte touted the efforts of the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, saying they've been able to keep 95% of wildfire starts to 10 acres or less since 2021. During an annual state fire briefing on Monday, he also recognized the 'proactive preparation, coordination and teamwork' he said was needed to keep people safe. The state has seen an early start to its fire season. Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Director Amanda Kaster said her agency is 'more prepared than ever' and thanked the legislature for the passage of wildfire bills during the session. 'The state of Montana and DNRC is prepared for the 2025 fire season, not only through our fire protection program, but through the work we do to reduce wildfire risk across Montana's landscapes,' Kaster said. 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Tim Sheehy, R-Montana, helped push a bipartisan wildfire bill through Congress. The Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act passed through both chambers and is headed to President Donald Trump's desk. The bill reauthorizes the sale of both airplanes and parts from the Department of Defense for aerial firefighting efforts. Sheehy founded a company that provides aerial firefighting services. 'Eliminating bureaucratic obstacles to fight wildfires more quickly and aggressively is America First common sense, and I appreciate my colleagues in the House and Senate for their support,' Sheehy said in a press release. 'I look forward to seeing this bipartisan bill cross the finish line so we can better support the brave first responders on the front lines fighting wildfires across the country.' Banana Lake update As of Wednesday, the Banana Lake fire near Plains was listed at 929 acres and 15% containment. Nick Holloway with the Western Montana All Hazards Incident Management Team and spokesperson for efforts on the fire said that four structures had been protected. He also added crews were in the process of mop-up operations, though the situation has been complex. Crews had to deal with seven spot fires on Tuesday, which Holloway said had been a 'huge concern,' though firefighters had contained those blazes. Additionally, the edge of the fire is a mix of burned and unburned materials, a situation they call a 'dirty burn.' It means there's more potential for spotting, which is the process in which sparks and embers get carried by the wind into unburned fuel. 'There could be a spark in one of those unburned pockets, and it's close to the edge,' Holloway said. 'And so during the mop-up efforts, they're going through that, gridding the area to look for residual sources of heat and extinguish them. But it takes a lot longer when you have that dirty burn than when you have a nice, clean edge.' Holloway said the Banana Fire represents a relatively early start to Montana's fire season, and cautioned that the state could be in for a long year. 'Predictive Services has told us it's going to be dry and warm, more so than normal,' Holloway said. 'So that's going to be problematic for this fire season.'
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