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‘Gunbarrel' explodes
By Carole Cloudwalker
This document was published online on Wednesday, August 06, 2008
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| A group of people watch evening burnout operations being conducted by firefighters battling the Gunbarrel Fire near Blackwater Lodge. (Photo by Ken Blackbird) |
As the 33,000-acre Gunbarrel Fire turned to the northwest Tuesday, three North Fork lodges and one occupied summer cabin were evacuated.
The fire is burning along the upper North Fork Highway. As of Tuesday it was zero percent contained and more than $2 million had been spent on firefighting.
Forest officials continue to term the Gunbarrel a “beneficial use fire,” which is why they are not officially battling the blaze and are not issuing containment figures for it.
The Fishhawk Trailhead was closed while the Eagle Creek Campground was open but on an evacuation standby notice Wednesday.
The highway to Yellowstone Park and all other campgrounds except Three Mile Campground, which has been closed for construction, are open, a forest spokesman said.
Goff Creek, Elephant Head and Crossed Sabres lodges were evacuated Tuesday, marking the second evacuation for Elephant Head.
The occupied recreation residence that was evacuated is east of Eagle Creek Campground. In addition, no access is being allowed to the Moss Creek cabins.
Firefighters planned to provide structure protection for the evacuated lodges Wednesday as predominant winds were expected to draw the fire down the drainages toward the highway.
Firefighter patrols along the highway will be aimed at extinguishing spot fires that may ignite on the south side of the highway.
On the east edge of the fire, units continued to prepare the Standing Star Ranch to withstand the fire's possible advance along Big Creek, fire information officers said.
The Park County Sheriff's Office planned continued control measures to keep traffic flowing safely along US 14-16-20, but delays are possible.
Jeff Hymas, a spokesman for Rocky Mountain Power Co., said Monday afternoon a finger of fire along the highway ignited a power pole that smoldered. Later in the day flames from the burning pole triggered emergency breakers that automatically cut power to about 88 customers on the upper North Fork.
Hymas said even more customers were briefly without electricity, but the RMP crew was able to limit the number of lodges and cabins left in the dark from 7:30 p.m. Monday to 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to the 88.
The pole had to be replaced, delaying the return of power to the area, Hymas said.
Some observers reported the fire that claimed the pole was from a back burn started by firefighters, but that could not be confirmed.
Because of the fire, electricity also was cut to about 10 customers near Moss Creek, Hymas said.
Driven by east winds, the western flank of the Gunbarrel Fire pushed into the Libby Creek drainage Tuesday and moved toward Mormon Creek.
Due to active fire behavior, Goff and Elephant Head lodges were evacuated by the Park County Sheriff's Office, while Crossed Sabres Lodge evacuated voluntarily, fire personnel reported.
Structure protection specialists were evaluating buildings to the south and east of the fire Wednesday.
Earlier, fire lines were constructed around some lodge buildings and sprinkler systems were installed. Heavy helicopters were utilized to slow the advance of the fire. A field at Copperleaf Subdivision is serving as a chopper base this week.
The Gunbarrel Fire began July 26 with a lightning strike in an area of 50-80 percent beetle-killed spruce and fir in the North Absaroka Wilderness. The fire is burning about 40 miles west of Cody.
Resources assigned to the fire Wednesday include six 20-person Hot Shot crews, two heavy helicopters, one medium helicopter, two light helicopters, 16 engines and about 322 people.
In a dire-sounding e-mail to the Enterprise and others on Wednesday morning Pahaska Tepee Resort owner Bob Coe wrote, “Phones are out. This is our only mode of communication since Monday.
“We now have 322 firefighters, six crews, 16 engines, eight helicopters ...
“I plan to sleep and stay with the cabin through this incident. I do not plan to evacuate anything.
“The cabin area is now as safe as anywhere and I have it thoroughly wet ... the fire is coming off the ridge toward the highway behind the Bluher cabin. It is also at the spring in the lower portion of the Mormon Creek Meadows.
“East winds are in the forecast Wednesday with higher humidities. Not good. Fire crews are just getting to the area for prep today.
“This is most likely it.”
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rick oshea wrote on Aug 7, 2008 6:35 AM: