Single Publication

Video Update: https://fb.watch/tlmYWFMW2O/ 

Deadman, Anderson, McGhee, Prairie, Hackley and Four-Mile Fires  

Bureau of Land Management Montana-Dakotas State Office 

Montana Dept. Of Natural Resources and Conservation

Fire Information 406-924-3831  2024.Deadman@firenet.gov 

www.facebook.com/RosebudCountyDisasterAndEmergencyServices 

July 15, 2024 

Northern Rockies Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens  

Location:  17 miles south of Birney, Montana and north of Tongue River Reservoir in Rosebud and Big Horn Counties 

Start Date: 7/12 and 7/13/2024 

Cause: Lightning    

Size: 22,208 estimated combined total acres  

Completion/Containment: 0  

KEY MESSAGE   

Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 3, Incident Commander Mike Behrens, took command of these fires at 6:00 AM today. 

Numerous fires were ignited in southeast Montana by dry lightning on July 12 and 13. Team 3 will manage several of these fires. The Deadman Fire and the Anderson Fire burned together on Sunday, reaching an estimated combined 15,294 acres. The combined Deadman/Anderson fires will be referred to as Deadman.  

CURRENT STATUS  

Landowners, ranchers, local fire departments, and state and federal land agencies have worked incredibly hard the past several days fighting these fires and have made significant progress. Crews and landowners have been building miles of fire lines and conducting burnout operations to gain ground. Last night, the McGhee Fire pushed northwest towards Birney. Today, the Flathead Interagency Hotshot Crew and other resources will be working to connect pieces of fire line to secure that part of the fire. The prevailing wind direction today should help. The team is assessing needs, developing a plan, and ordering resources, although as fire season picks up in Montana, resources will begin to be stretched.  

WEATHER AND FIRE BEHAVIOR 

Fuel moistures are low, making fire behavior erratic even without strong winds. Fire continues to carry in the grass and mixed shrubs, even overnight. Spotting may be an issue throughout the day, especially as winds increase. Hot and dry conditions are expected into the foreseeable future.  

CLOSURES AND SPECIAL MESSAGES 

An evacuation warning remains in place for residents along the Tongue River Road from the Tongue River Bridge at Wall Creek to the southern Rosebud County line.  Specific closure information and maps on the Rosebud and/or Big Horn County Facebook Pages.