Crews get containment on Gravel Pit Fire
Fire crews are starting to get a handle on the Gravel Pit Fire, burning east of Libby near Silver Butte Road.
The fire has a new incident commander with Ken Parks taking over management of the blaze located between Libby and Happy’s Inn.
Parks is leading the Western Montana All Hazards Incident Management Team, which took over the fire Sunday morning.
A public meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Fisher River Valley Fire Hall at Happy’s Inn.
According to information from the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the fire grew over the weekend to a little more than 300 acres Sunday, but fire crews got a bit of help from rain that fell. Containment was listed at 15%. The blaze did produce some spot fires and interior single tree torching.
Rain moderated fire behavior limiting perimeter growth over the weekend, however active burning is still occurring with creeping and short-range spotting. Sunday, crews continued to plumb contingency line on the northwest and southeast areas.
To the west, crews monitored areas of the fire and widened fire line to 66 feet. To the northwest, crews utilized and improved road systems to be utilized as fire line. Dozers constructed fire line where road systems are not located and crews constructed shaded fuel breaks along the dozer line. To the north, helicopters provided water bucket drops on a spot fire to cool the fire perimeter and allow crews safer access for direct attack. Crews aggressively attacked a slop over occurring on the northwest flank, constructing handline to contain the fire perimeter.
Fire officials said crews would continue to construct direct fire line on Monday and improve existing road systems. To the west, rollouts, flammable material rolling down a slope that may pose a danger to crews and cause new fire ignitions outside of the fire’s edge, are a concern.
Burning embers from flare ups of unburned areas within the fire’s perimeter are also a concern as they may produce spot fires. Crews will aggressive attack any new fire starts resulting from rollouts and spotting in order to keep the fire west of the 763 Road. Crews will continue to plumb contingency fire line with hose lays and drop tanks filled with water to reduce the potential for fire spread.
An evacuation warning by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office remains in place for people living in the area.
The blaze began on the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 1 when a transient man parked at the gravel pit on U.S. 2 allegedly started the fire to gain the attention of law enforcement because his van had broken down.
Joseph Anthony Eutsler, 39, is being held on $250,000 bail in the Lincoln County Detention Center on one felony charge of arson. He is scheduled to appear in Lincoln County Justice Court at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, for a preliminary hearing.
Fire officials are also reminding people that a temporary flight restriction is in place for air space over the Gravel Pit Fire to provide a safe environment for firefighting aircraft operating in the area. The restrictions also apply to unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones.
