Photo Gallery: Pryor Mountain fire
Fire officials report that smoke from the 126 acre fire which is burning above Pryor Creek has almost disappeared.
Crews are mopping up the blaze, which Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesman Jon Kohn reports is 80% contained.
But, he cautions that hot spots remain in heavy fuels near the fire's edges, and throughout the interior of the burn.
Five crews and three helicopters were working the scene on Monday. "Do not be deceived by a little dampness," said Incident Commander Randy Pretty On Top. "We had tons of rain when all that lightning went through a week ago, and look at all the fires we still had."
Smokejumpers reported that two hours of light rain had not penetrated treetops to even wet the ground on denser portions of the fire as of early Monday.
Meanwhile, isolated lightning struck Sunday evening down Pryor Creek, west of Two Leggins, north of Highway 1, west of Crow Agency, on the west side of the Bighorns, and in the southern Wolf Mountains.
Also, light rains did not really lower the fire danger, which is currently High according to fire officials.
Fire crews report that they are making progress on the Little People Fire, which is burning in a remote area of the Pryor Mountains.
Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesman Jon Kohn says the fire has burned 126 acres and was 80% contained as of late Sunday.
The terrain is so steep that fire crews have been dropped off each day by helicopter, but some crews were able to hike in over the weekend to take on the blaze from the ground. The biggest concern on Sunday was a possible weather front that may bring strong winds into the area, as well as thunderstorms.
There are currently about 130 firefighters and personnel are battling the wildfire.
(September 5, 2009)
Fire crews are still working to try and contain a 110 acre fire which is burning in a remote area of the Pryor Mountains.
Air and ground crews have worked together on the Little People fire, digging fire lines as retardant was dropped on the flames.
Bureau of Indian Affairs spokesman Jon Kohn says the fire didn't see any dramatic activity , but slowly crept overnight.
Crews from Crow Agency, Rocky Boy and Fort Peck are battling the blaze which is burning in steep, rugged terrain
The Little People fire is among several blazes sparked by a lightning storm that moved through south-central Montana on Monday.
(from September 4, 2009)
Several fires were still burning in the Pryor Mountains outside of Billings as of Friday afternoon.
The Little People fire has burned over 90 acres and officials say that is slowly growing, nine miles south of Pryor, east of the Castle Rocks. The blaze has crossed a divide into a north-facing slope of thick overmature lodgepole pine forest north of Pryor Creek.
There are currently three heavy air tankers, two single engine tankers, four helicopters, and five hand crews working the fire. Drier and hotter air is expected to increase activity on the fire.
We threw everything we had at it," said Incident Commander Randy Pretty On Top Thursday night.
The Flatlip fire is still burning as well and a crew of sixteen smokejumpers are on the scene, searching out and squelching hot spots according to fire officials. A Crow squad worked with the smokejumpers Thursday afternoon, digging hard on steep ground to complete a line around the fire, high on slopes overlooking Lost Creek canyon in the Pryor Mountains. The fire has been mapped at 5 ½ acres.
Finally, the 36 acre Cylis fire on Rotten Grass Creek will be patrolled Friday after two engines mopped up hot spots Thursday into the evening.
(from September 3, 2009)
A wave of lightning strikes has sparked a number of wildfires south of Billings in the Pryor Mountains.
Smoke is visible from both the Flatlip and Little People fires, which are burning in steep, rugged terrain.
The Little People fire was reported Wednesday and has burned about 70 acres just east of the Castle Rocks. Two crews, two helicopters and two air tankers are on scene, working to slow the growth of the blaze.
The Flatlip fire has charred about 25 acres on an almost inaccessible slope on the east side of Lost Creek canyon. Smokejumpers were dispatched to the area Thursday and are hiking to the fire.
Meanwhile, firefighters are mopping up the 84 acre Seven Hills fire south of St. Xavier and the Cylis fire southwest of Lodge Grass.
Four more lightning fires were contained on Wednesday.
