FORT BELKNAP, Mont. (NMB) – The Pine Grove Fire on the southern end of the Fort Belknap Reservation was estimated at just over 16,000 acres with 98 percent containment as of Tuesday morning.
Cooler temperatures are expected to prevail throughout the week with a chance of precipitation Thursday through Sunday. No significant weather concerns are anticipated.
Firefighters are expected to continue mop up and monitoring of the fire area and plan to continue camp teardown and team demobilization.
Two hand crews and three engines are heading to the fireline Tuesday to continue to check and patrol the fire’s edge.
The County Assist Team will be transitioning the fire over to a Type 4 Team managed by Fort Belknap Tribal Fire Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Wednesday morning at 6 AM.
Evacuation Warnings for the communities of Pine Grove, Zortman, Star Hill, Hays, and Lodge Pole will be lifted at 8 PM on Tuesday.
Roads remain closed in the area of the fire.
The fire is believed to be human caused, but that remains under investigation.
There have been no injuries reported due to the fire.
11 structures have been destroyed. One is the home where the fire originated and the other 10 are believed to have been secondary structures.
