Official: Bielenburg Fire good for ecosystem growth - Montana's News Station

The Bielenburg Fire has claimed 2,000 acres and recently raced through the Racetrack Campground 10 miles north of Anaconda.

While significant damage has been done, many of the young aspen tree sprouts and other plant life in the area survived the fire.

Incident Commander Jon Agner explained that fire is necessary for ecosystem growth as regeneration will improve the affected areas next season.

"It can regenerate the grass and forbs for the large undulate like elk and deer. It can thin out the forest, but the other thing it can do is it eliminates the burn up of fuels on the ground so when we do come into an extreme fire season, and we're having a terrible dry season, the fire's not going to anything here. The fuels on the ground have been eliminated. Next year, this is going to be very green. The grass and the forbs will regenerate from this fire and actually there will be a lot more of it. So you're going to see a lot of elk and deer in this country over the next couple of years," Agner said.

Cooler temperatures and precipitation this week helped to subdue the fire, which is burning southwest of Deer Lodge. This cooler, wetter weather came after a dangerous Saturday for firefighters who battled heavy winds that fueled the fire and others in the area.

The Bielenburg Fire has been burning since July 13.

(From Sept. 30, 2009)

Cooler temperatures and precipitation are subduing the 2,000-acre Bielenburg Fire southwest of Deer Lodge.

This cooler, wetter weather comes after a dangerous Saturday for firefighters who battled heavy winds that fueled the fire and others in the area.

Due to the cold and precipitation, the fire will not again reach the threatening level it was at Saturday when 50- mile per hour winds spread the fire so quickly that homes and campgrounds were evacuated, incident commander Jon Agner said.

The Racetrack Campground was highly impacted by the blaze, but camp sites are still in good shape.

While the fire will not grow, there is still a lot of work to be done, Agner said.

"We got a little shot of snow and probably one and a half inches of moisture last night, so there are only a few areas that are showing right now, but rest assured there is plenty of heat out there in logs that are burning and the long term forecast is that we get three to five days out and we expect for it to warm up and dry out. We're not into winter yet and there's going to be some activity on the fire," he said.

Agner said 150 people were assisted the fight on Saturday, but with the new developments in the weather, the majority of the group was sent home.

"The cold temperature, it cools the ground fuels. That slows fire spread. Because our days are shorter, with the cooler temperature, it's going to be awhile before those dry out so we're not going to see extreme conditions in this drainage again this season," he said.

The Bielenburg Fire has been burning since July 13.

(From Sept. 29, 2009)

The Bielenburg Fire burning between Deer Lodge and Anaconda has grown to 1,620 acres.

Fueled by winds, low humidity and relatively warm temperatures, the fire grew more than 700 acres between Monday and Tuesday. Firefighters are expecting another challenging day Tuesday when a cold front is expected to bring strong winds and dry air in the afternoon and early evening. Precipitation is not expected before Wednesday, according to InciWeb.org.

Click here to read the full report on InciWeb.

Firefighters worked Monday afternoon to hold fire lines on the south and east flanks of the fire after the fire spotted onto private lands south of the forest boundary Saturday.

The fire is located about 10 miles north of Anaconda.

Three fire crews and a hot shot crew are fighting the blaze along with support from Airtankers and two helicopters. Local Forest Service employees worked Monday to keep the fire from burning any further to the south and east where the fire had burned close to or spotted onto private lands.

The lightning-caused fire started on July 12.

(From July 27, 2009)

The Bielenburg Fire burning in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest between Anaconda and Deer Lodge is 75 percent contained.

Heavy rain and hail have halted the growth of the fire, which is about 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge and about 10 miles north of Anaconda on the Pintler Ranger District in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, according to www.inciweb.org.

The fire burned 177 acres mountain pine beetle-killed timber and dead and downed timber.

Some crews have been demobilized from the fire.

A lightning strike that hit last week is being blamed for the fire. The strike remained a "sleeper" until it flared up and rekindled a burn over the weekend, according to firefighters from the Dillon Interagency Dispatch Center.

(From July 24, 2009)

A smaller organization has taken over command of the Bielenburg Fire which is burning between Anaconda and Deer Lodge.

The new group is commanded by Mike Fritsen and officials say they will continue managing the fire with about 40 firefighters, two fire engines, and one helicopter.

The blaze has been holding steady at 177 acres burned and fire officials report that the north, east, and south flanks of the fire are considered contained.

However, there are still several closures near the fire, including the Racetrack Campground and Racetrack Rental Cabin.

Public Information Officer Gary Hoshide says that crews will concentrate on the north flank of the fire. In addition, fire managers will meet with County Commissioners on Friday afternoon to talk about the fire.

(from July 23, 2009)

About 160 firefighters are being demobilized from the 177-acre Beilenburg Fire burning in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest between Anaconda and Deer Lodge.

The fire, which is about 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge and about 10 miles north of Anaconda on the Pintler Ranger District in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, is about 50 percent contained. It is holding steady at about 177 acres.

About 200 firefighters and support personnel have been working the fire. As of Friday, fire officials believe the team will be reduced to 40 firefighters, two engines and one helicopter.

The north, east, and south flanks of the lightning-caused fire have been contained; and fire specialists are looking at a long-term management plan for the west side, according to fire officials.

The Beilenburg Fire burning between Deer Lodge and Anaconda has scorched around 177 acres and around 200 firefighters and support personnel are still working to contain the blaze, along with two helicopters and three fire engines.

Fire officials say that the north, east, and south flanks of the fire are considered contained, meaning that a fuel break has been established in those areas and the spread of the fire in that direction has been stopped. Meanwhile, fire specialists are assessing management options, including a long-term management plan, for the west side according to Public Information Officer Gary Hoshide.

The Incident Management Team handling the fire will transition with a smaller organization to manage the fire beginning on Friday, and will be supported by 40 firefighters, two fire engines, and one helicopter according to Hoshide.

Fire officials say that a flight over the fire in planned for Thursday to help crews find any remaining hot spots.

The Deerlodge-Beaverhead National Forest remains closed in the Dempsey, Racetrack, and Beilenburg drainages due to safety concerns.

(from July 22, 2009)

Fire crews were able to make progress Tuesday on the Beilenburg Fire that is burning between Anaconda and Deer Lodge, containing about 50 percent of the blaze.

The fire, which is about 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge and about 10 miles north of Anaconda on the Pintler Ranger District in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, has been reduced from 300 to 175 acres, according to a new release.

An area closure remains in effect for the National Forest lands within the Dempsey, Racetrack, and Beilenburg drainages for public safety reasons.

About 200 firefighters and support personnel with two helicopters and three fire engines are assigned to the blaze. Firefighters were able to make progress on Tuesday, establishing a line and beginning to mop up on the southeast flank of the fire. Firefighters also started removing hazardous trees and mopping up hot spots along the perimeter on the northeast flank. Fire managers are starting a risk assessment and management options to manage the west flank over the long term, according to the news release issued Wednesday.

Fire crews continue to try to keep the fire north of Racetrack Creek to prevent it from moving south and east onto private lands. On Wednesday, firefighters planned to mop up hot spots located at least 40 yards inside the fire perimeter and continued to look for and extinguish any spots outside containment lines.

No injuries have been reported at the fire, which is burning in mountain pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine in steep, rocky terrain.

Fire officials report that the Beilenburg Fire, which is burning 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge is now 50 percent contained.

The fire was quiet on Tuesday according to fire officials who added that more precise mapping from the air shows that the blaze has burned 175 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. It was originally thought to have burned around 300 acres.

There are currently 200 firefighters working on the blaze and officials say the crews plan to improve the firelines they built Tuesday. They will also look over the west flank of the burned area.

Firefighters were able to tie a fireline into retardant dropped along the west side of the fire on Thursday.

Fire officials say the plan now is for some of the firefighters to start demobilizing from the Beilenburg fire on Wednesday evening.

Three Montana Hot Shot crews are now fighting a wildfire which is burning 11 miles southwest of Deer Lodge.

An incident management team commanded by Jess Secrest took over management of the Beilenburg fire early Tuesday.

The fire already burned 300 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and fire managers want to keep it north of Racetrack Creek, so that the flames won't spread onto private land.

The blaze is burning in pine beetle-killed lodgepole pine trees.

(from July 21, 2009)

Crews continued to work Tuesday to keep the Beilenburg Fire north of Racetrack Creek and prevent it from moving south and east onto private land.

As of Tuesday morning, the fire was holding steady at 300 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. The fire is burning about 10 miles north of Anaconda, scorching beetle-killed timber in the Pintler Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

About 150 firefighters, including three Montana hot shot crews of highly trained firefighters are battling the blaze. A prison inmate crew, two initial attack modules from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, two helicopters and three fire engines are assigned to the fire.

In order to keep the fire from spreading, firefighters are working Tuesday to strengthen and improve fire line, watch for spot fires and establish a water supply system out of Granite Creek.

Crews are reportedly hitting snags due to the steep, rocky terrain in the area, which is not suitable for heavy equipment operation.

Road and campground closures are in effect on Beilenburg Road and Racetrack Road on the Pintler Ranger District in the forest. The Racetrack Campground and Racetrack Rental Cabin on Racetrack Road are closed. Both drainages are under emergency closures and were evacuated.

The fire is said to have a potential of an additional 500 acres if it continues down drainage and 20,000 to 30,000 if it moves up drainage, according to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

(from July 20, 2009)

The Beilenburg Fire, which is burning 10 miles north of Anaconda, is holding steady at 300 acres, but fire officials are closely watching for flare-ups as temperatures continued to rise late Monday morning.

So far, 300 acres of beetle-killed timber in the Pintler Ranger District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest have been scorched. The fire has destroyed two abandoned sheds on old mining claims in the area. The fire has also prompted the closure of Racetrack Canyon Road and Beilenburg Road as well as the Racetrack and Beilenburg campgrounds, according to incident commander Joe Sampson.

The fire is said to have a potential of an additional 500 acres if it continues down drainage and 20,000 to 30,000 if it moves up drainage, according to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

Currently fighting the fire are three helicopters that are dropping water and shuttling crews; three fixed-wing aircraft, including one lead plane for the heavy airtanker dropping retardant and an Air Attack, providing "eyes in the sky" to the ground forces; five 20-person hand crews, including three Hotshot Crews from the Lolo, Bitterroot and Lewis and Clark national forests, an inmate crews from Deer Lodge and a crew of local firefighters; and a Type II Incident Management Team.

Officials are working to protect private property nearby.

"In that confined, contained strategy, there are points of the fire we're going to attack pretty hard and aggressively to protect the values at risk with would be private land to the south and east, that's where we are prioritizing as well as the Racetrack Campground," Sampson said.

Law enforcement officers are standing by in case evacuations are necessary as numerous crews and equipment are fighting the blaze. Helicopters, two airtankers and other equipment are being used.

Although the fire is entirely on national forest land at this time, fire crews are worried about the potential of spreading as temperatures heat up throughout the day. There are ranches and farms in the area near the blaze.

"We went through the processes. It's got potential to move. This season is a little different than other seasons where our green up is lasting a little longer for us, we're not drying out as fast. Every fire's got potential," Sampson said.

Meanwhile, another fire, the Jobe Fire, which ignited about three miles south of Sheep Mountain in the Snowcrest Mountains of the Madison Ranger District, burned about one-tenth of an acre after a lightning strike ignited a tree. The fire smoldered on the forest floor. Four firefighters were able to contain the fire by 2 p.m. Monday.

Firefighters from the Dillon Interagency Dispatch Center say a strike of lightning that hit last week remained a "sleeper" until it awoke and rekindled a burn over the weekend.

Hundreds of acres are scorched and two buildings have been destroyed so far in the Beilenburg Fire, which is burning 10 miles north of Anaconda.

The fire was detected at about 2:30 Sunday afternoon and at last check, was burning on 300 acres of beetle-killed timber. But, officials say it has the potential to scorch an additional 500 acres if it continues down drainage, and 20,000 to 30,000 acres if it moves up drainage.

Two cabins within an old mining claim burned, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has assigned an engine to a structure about a mile from the Beilenburg Fire.

Law enforcement officers are standing by in case evacuations are necessary as numerous crews and equipment are fighting the blaze. One helicopter and two fixed wing aircraft are supporting firefighting efforts of about 60 personnel on the ground.

A Type II Incident Management Team has been called in to manage the blaze and a closure order is in place for Beilenburg and Racetrack campgrounds.