Kootenai National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
31374 US Hwy 2 Libby Montana 59923
Libby, MT 59923
The South Yaak Fire was detected on July 13, 2021. It is burning in timbered, steep terrain approximately 4 miles northwest of Troy, Montana.
The fire is likely to burn until significant moisture covers the fire area.
The USDA Forest Service Three Rivers Ranger District has several areas, roads, and trails closed or restricted for public safety due to fire management activities related to the Burnt Peak and South Yaak fires. Closure orders and maps may be viewed on the Kootenai National Forest webpage at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/kootenai/alerts-notices.
On September 9, the fire was returned to the Three Rivers Ranger District, Kootenai National Forest. The fire is being managed by a Type IV team and updates will be posted to Iniciweb and the Kootenai National Forest Facebook page as needed.
Current as of | |
Incident Type | Wildfire |
Cause | Lightning |
Date of Origin | Tuesday July 13th, 2021 approx. 01:00 PM |
Location | 4 Miles N of Troy, Mt |
Incident Commander | John Thompson, NR Team 7 |
Coordinates | 48.551 latitude, -115.93 longitude |
Total Personnel | 53 |
Size | 12,489 Acres |
Percent of Perimeter Contained | 89% |
Fuels Involved | Fuels located in the South Yaak are generally similar though logging units are located throughout the area with residual understory, light logging slash and scattered machine and hand piles. |
Significant Events | Warm, dry and breezy conditions will continue to allow fire to become more active where isolated heat exists. Fire behavior and spread potential will remain low. |
Planned Actions | Suppression repair will take place on all divisions as operations allow. Communication will continue with local emergency management personal on fire behavior or conditions requiring a change in tactics or response posture. |
Projected Incident Activity | Cooler temp and higher RH's will moderate any fire activity. Creeping and smoldering can be expected. |
Remarks | Northern Rockies IMT 7 is managing both the Burnt Peak and South Yaak Fires. |
Weather Concerns | Hot, dry, and gusty westerly winds will once again develop Thursday afternoon; however, cloud cover will increase, allowing for a minor increase in humidity. A pacific weather system with abundant atmospheric moisture will bring a return of wetting rainfall Friday. The forecast has quickly trended towards a wet solution. In fact there is a 40 to 60 percent chance for a half an inch or more of rainfall by Saturday morning across western Montana. A westerly flow will pattern will take shape Sunday into early next week, with seasonal temperatures expected. |