Harris Mountain

Unit Information

Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation
1539 Eleventh Ave.
Helena, MT 59601

This incident is no longer being updated.

8.14.2021 Harris Mountain Fire Perimeter Map

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Incident Overview

The Harris Mountain Fire started on July 23rd approximately 10 miles southeast of Cascade. The lightning caused fire grew quickly, burning over 3,000 acres within the first burn period. Northern Rockies Team 7, a Type II Incident Management Team, assumed command of the fire from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) at 6:00 AM on July 26th and managed the fire through August 14th.

The fire is located in difficult and rugged terrain with fuels and topography driving fire activity. Location, along with limited resources creates challenges for immediate suppression. Multiple crews, engines, dozers, water tenders and air resources are assigned to the fire and providing point protection near structures.

The Cascade County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders and notices for approximately 60 residences from July 25th to August 9th; currently all evacuation orders and notices are rescinded. No evacuations have been issued for residents in Lewis and Clark County.

Basic Information

Current as of
Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Lightning
Date of Origin	Friday July 23rd, 2021 approx. 12:00 PM
Location	7 miles southeast of Cascade, Montana
Incident Commander	Chris Spliethof
Incident Description	Wildfire
Coordinates	47.127 latitude, -111.75 longitude

Current Situation

Size	31,603 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained	91%
Fuels Involved	Closed Timber Litter Timber (Grass and Understory)
Significant Events	No new fire growth, patrol status

Outlook

Planned Actions	Ground resources plan to return to the fire area this week, as drying road conditions allow. Additionally, aircraft patrols will continue if ground resources have limited access. Daily patrols will continue to look for and extinguish hot spots or areas with heat that pose a potential threat.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns	Recent rains have made some roads inaccessible or necessary to avoid to decrease damage to the roadway due to erosion. Warming trend is expected to continue in the upcoming weeks.