Sand Creek and Bobcat Lakes Fires Rapidly Expand Near Wisdom, Montana

Overview

• As of the latest updates, the Sand Creek Fire has grown to roughly 15,700–16,000 acres with about 1% containment and the Bobcat Lakes Fire is about 7,000 acres with near 0% containment.
• Beaverhead County moved evacuation status to GO for parts of northern Grasshopper Valley, including Elkhorn Hot Springs and Maverick Mountain, and the Forest Service closed the Pioneer Scenic Byway and wide swaths of the Wisdom and Dillon ranger districts through Dec. 31 unless rescinded.
• More than 300 personnel and a multi-resource response are assigned to both incidents, using smokejumpers, night shifts, engines, dozers, aerial bucket and retardant drops when weather permits, and hose and sprinkler systems to defend cabins and recreation sites.
• Incident commanders report critical fire-weather and episodes of extreme fire behavior that favor rapid spread to the south and east, with Red Flag Warnings and a chance of dry lightning that could produce gusty, erratic winds and new spot fires.
• Ranchers, volunteers and Forest Service staff have moved more than 1,000 cattle off grazing allotments and local economies tied to recreation face ongoing closures, making containment and short-term weather the key factors to watch for near-term risk to homes and infrastructure.