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Bridger Foothills Fire jumps to 400 acres overnight, all Bridgers trails now closed

Posted at 9:42 AM, Sep 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-09-05 16:09:51-04

UPDATE, 1:58 PM: All trails in the Bridgers are now closed, according to a Custer Gallatin National Forest update.

The Red Cross has opened an evacuation center at Christ the King Lutheran Church for anyone displaced by the Bridger Foothills Fire.

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Office also confirms that Bridger Canyon Road is now closed from Story Mill to Jackson Creek. Only local resident travel is allowed.



(Earlier report, updated 9:50 a.m. MDT, 9/5/2020)

According to Inciweb, the Bridger Foothills Fire has grown to 400 acres as of Saturday morning and is zero percent contained.

The Saturday morning update for the fire said firefighters are building fireline focused on the eastern flank of the fire, with structure protection in place.

Hand crews will further build fireline with air support utilized throughout the day. A small burnout operation was conducted Friday night to further secure fireline, according to Inciweb.

There are now 110 personnel assigned to the fire, with more crews expected Saturday.

Resources include: 2 large airtankers, 4 single engine air tankers, 4 helicopters dropping water and providing structure protection, Midnight Sun Interagency Hotshot Crew, smokejumpers, 1 type 2 handcrew, with additional crews, dozers and helicopters arriving this morning. Structure protection has been in place overnight and will continue through today from Bozeman Fire, Bridger Canyon Fire, Hyalite Fire and numerous local resources.

The cause of the fire remains unknown and is under investigation.

All road/trail closures will remain in place until further notice.

Road Closures:

Hwy 86/Bridger Canyon Road is closed from the intersection of Story Mill/Bridger Canyon Road to Kelly Canyon/Bridger Canyon Road. Local resident travel only permitted until further notice.

Trail Closures:

All trails from Middle Cottonwood up to Saddle Peak and tying in with Bridger Bowl's southern boundary and running south to the "M" parking lot are closed including trails:

Trail #586 (Middle Cottonwood), #513 (Bridger Ridge),

#534 (Bridger Foothills), #531, (Sypes Canyon),

#511 (M trails), #532 & #530 (Bridger Bowl up to Ridge),

#537 & #538 (Pine Creek - Bridger Bowl to South) are closed.