The Jericho Mountain Fire has grown to around 351 acres as of Thursday morning. Evacuation warnings remain in effect for Rimini Road.
Fire officials say people should expect to see aircraft working the fire on Thursday, with two super scooper air tanker planes added to the assigned resources.
(Watch air firefighting resources at the Helena Regional Airport head to fight the Jericho Mountain Fire)
As of Thursday, 250 personnel were assigned to the fire, including: seven crews; three dozers; two scoopers; two heavy helicopters; four skidders; two skidgines; four feller bunchers; and six engines.
Crews are continuing to work the fire fine in heavy deadfall, steep terrain and limited access. As of Thursday at noon, the fire is considered 0% contained.
MTN is forecasting warm and dry weather in the morning, which will give way to rising temperatures in the afternoon. A cold front will move into the area Friday and significantly drop temperatures and bring precipitation over the weekend.
On Wednesday evening, the incident commander noted that a Complex Incident Management Team has been ordered to replace the current Type III Northern Rockies Incident Management Team.
The Jericho Mountain Fire was sparked by lightning and first reported the morning of June 15.
(Watch crews fight the Jericho Mountain Fire)
On Wednesday, an evacuation warning was issued by the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office for the residents of Rimini Road and all connecting roads south of Bear Gulch Road.
Residents are urged to take the following steps to prepare for a possible evacuation:
- Pack a “go bag” with essentials such as: Medications, Important documents, Phone chargers, Money/debit cards, Clothing and Personal Items
- Prepare your home and property
- Make arrangements for pets and livestock
- Be ready to leave if an evacuation order is issued
"The decision to issue the warning was based on predicted fire behavior and the limited access along Rimini Road, which is one way in and out," said Lewis and Clark County in a press release.
Residents needing more information about the evacuation warning should call 406-447-8235.
The U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday also issued a closure for the area near Jericho Mountain:
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has issued a closure order for the Jericho Mountain fire to protect the safety of visitors and fire personnel and to support the effectiveness of suppression operations.
The closure area impacts a section of the Boulder Mountains approximately 17 miles southwest of Helena. The closure includes the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail between Macdonald Pass and Luttrell. Reroute directions are available on our website under “alerts.”
The north boundary of the area closure includes Vista Point on Macdonald Pass. Cromwell-Dixon Campground and Quigley Group Use Site remain open. The closure continues to the west of Rimini Road and includes the closure of Minnehaha Creek Road. The west side of the closure is defined by Forest Service Road 496 to the intersection with Little Blackfoot Road.
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional information about the Jericho Mountain Fire.
