Work continues on Eagle Creek Fire

A post on the InciWeb fire data website at 6:14 p.m. Sunday said firefighters are continuing to make progress, with the estimated containment doubled by that time to 40 percent.

The estimated size of the fire has gone down from previous estimates, with the estimate Sunday evening at 7,225 acres,

Estimates Thursday and Friday had gone as high as 8,500 acres.

The InciWeb post said the fire burned actively within the fire perimeter Sunday, most actively in the southwestern corner within containment lines, but no growth in the fire acreage occurred that day.

It said air and ground resources engaged the active interior portion of the fire and continued mop up of the fire perimeter Sunday, with 234 personnel assigned to the fire for the difficult task of "mopping up indirect fire line."

Equipment includes helicopters, airplanes, and heavy equipment on the ground.

The post said projected activity includes mitigating fire movement to the north and northeast.

The fire was first detected Wednesday about 2:30 p.m. on or near Mount Baldy in the Bear Paw Mountains on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation.

By Thursday morning it had grown to an estimated 2,000 acres, and by that afternoon size estimates ranged from about 7,900 acres to 8.500 acres.

Restrictions are in effect, with a post on the Chippewa Creek Tribe Facebook page Thursday saying no evacuations had been ordered at that time for local Rocky Boy residents. It reported the mountains on Rocky Boy on both the Beaver Creek and Big Sandy Creek sides were closed until further notice and hunting is not allowed in the mountains until further notice.

Cattle on the reservation were not in danger at the time the notice was posted and that situation was being closely monitored. Cattle have been observed staying clear of the fire and are considered safe, the post said.

The post said that, due to the air operations, no civilian access is allowed in the area.

"Please refrain from going up to the fire areas as you will be asked to turn around," the post said. "Law enforcement is on-site."

A post Sunday again said Beaver Creek and Big Sandy Creek areas on the reservation are closed until further notice.

Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar said Thursday that, as a precautionary measure, the park south of Taylor Road is closed to overnight camping from Thursday, Sept. 8, until further notice due to the Eagle Creek Fire.

The InciWeb post said the Lions Campground and Sandy Creek Campground remain closed until further notice and emergency and local traffic only is allowed on Beaver Creek Highway south of Bear Paw Lake.