Summary

Tuesday 4 PM update - The fire is doing what was predicted. The fire is not progressing north or east significantly. At the head of the fire on the Blackfeet reservation, it has entered a more sparse fuel type and has stalled out at least temporarily. The fire is at least 6 miles from Hwy 2 at the east end of the fire. Hwy 2 will re-open for two way unescorted traffic by 6 PM tonight. There will be speed restrictions in the area of the fire, and traffic will be stopped near Marias Pass while helicopters are working in that area. The latest acre figure is 16,050 acres. The large jump in acres is due to yesterday's growth, and more accurate mapping. Growth today was minimal, at least at the time of this report.

The fire was active yesterday on all fronts, which was expected. Crews had a control burn out on a 3/4 mile stretch of Hwy 2 north of Skyland road. That, combined with the normal burning put a lot of smoke ito the air. The highway will serve as a fire break in that area. The fire has extended it's reach to Dog Gun Lake on the Black Feet reservations western boundary. Residents along the Heart Butte Cutoff Road between the Two Medicine River and Little Badger Creek were recommended to evacuate by the Blackfeet Disaster Planning Group. They were notified previously of that possiblity.

The fire is about 2 1/2 miles from the Heart Butte Cutoff road. The fire is between one to two miles wide, and roughly 11 miles long from being driven by the wind the last 3 days. It is moving easterly and further away from Hwy 2 and East Glacier. Cooler weather is expected today. This should make fire suppression easier and the fire not as intense. This will allow firefighters to get in closer to the fire and take direct action. The fire was 8,550 acres yesterday morning and is now estimated at over 10,000 acres. This fire is the #1 priority fire in the western US, which makes getting resources easier. More people and equipment are arriving daily.