Firefighters Hope for Progress on Bitterroot’s Latest Fire

UPDATE: Wednesday, 9:00 am

The Ravalli County Sheriff's Office says there are no changes in the evacuation orders and warnings close to the Sharrott Creek Fire. However, because of the increased fire activity in Tuesday evening's winds, which drove the blaze east over a containment line, the roadblock at Sharrott Hill Loop, Redtail Hawk Lane, Blue Grouse Lane and Porcupine Lane evacuation order zone will remain closed for safety.

If conditions calm down, RCSO will try and restore access in the mornings for people to check on their properties.

The latest maps were still showing the fire at just under 1200 acres this morning, but that's expected to climb somewhat. And more wind will keep firefighters busy this afternoon.

UPDATE: Tuesday,  2:30 pm

Winds have become gusty across the Bitterroot Valley this afternoon, and firefighters have been bracing to prevent the loss of ground on the 1,000-acre Sharrott Fire.

Forest Service meteorologists say the concern has been that higher winds could last into the evening, and create more activity on the fire, which is now being fought by the additional manpower and equipment of a full Type 1 team.

There have been no changes in evacuation orders and warnings from the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office, although a major wind event could change that this evening.

Fire managers will be holding a community meeting, starting at 7 pm tonight at the Stevensville High School gym. That's also being streamed on the Bitterroot National Forest's Facebook page.

Original story:

If you were managing a wildfire, Monday's weather is exactly what you would order.

Clear skies for water and retardant drops, cool morning with mild afternoon temperatures, and no wind are expected to favor firefighters battling the 1000-acre Sharrott Fire, which started in the Bitterroot Valley from a passing thunderstorm on Friday afternoon.

The weather is also giving evacuees a chance to check on their properties.

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What are the current evacuations from the Sharrott Fire

The fire, which erupted after a lightning strike Friday afternoon, burned much of its acreage in the first few hours, prompting the Ravalli County Sheriff's Office to first order evacuation warnings, and then evacuation orders for people living closest to the blaze.

That was prompted by very active fire conditions, with lots of spot fires and multiple trees "torching" every few minutes.

By Monday, conditions had stabilized enough that Sheriff Steve Holton and fire managers had decided to let adult residents in to check on their properties before 11 am, anticipating more fire activity in the afternoon.

The current evacuation orders remain the same as those ordered on Friday.

RELATED: How to Prepare for a Wildfire Evacuation

Aerial and ground attack continues

Air tankers and helicopters with buckets continued to be very active throughout the weekend, dropping hundreds of thousands of gallons of retardant and water as crews on the ground attempted to gain some control on the leading edge of the fire.

In Bitterroot fires like this, the common approach is to work the downhill side of the fire closest to homes, and then also watch for "spotting" that can carry the fire north or south out of the burn.

This blaze is burning in steep country, which hasn't seen fire in many decades. The 2009 Kootenai Creek fire burned immediately to the north.

Initially, estimates had placed the fire at 1600-acres on Friday evening, but the acreage dropped with more accurate mapping over the weekend.

Where can you get information about the Sharrott Fire?

The Bitterroot National Forest still has its "fire information trailer" parked at the Super 1 Foods lot at the Stevensville "Wye", and is continuing to post regular updates on the "Discover Bitterroot National Forest" Facebook page.