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Ratio Mountain

Unit Information

420 Barrett St 
Dillon, 
59725 
420 Barrett St 
Dillon, 
59725 

Incident Contacts

Fire Information
Email: Terina.hill@usda.gov
Phone: 406-865-0941
Hours: 8am-8pm

Highlighted Activity

The Forest has issued an area closure around the fire area, north of Whitehall on the Butte Ranger District. An area closure often involves specific trail and road sections. The area closure information and maps can be found on the Forest website, under the Closures and Alerts tab.PROHIBITIONSPursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 551 and 36 C.F.R. § 261.50(a), the following are prohibited on the National… Read more
Publication Type: Closures -

Highlighted Media

Forested area with large boulders in the foreground. Small orange flames climb the trunk of one tree. Smoke screens the rest of the trees in the forest.

The Ratio Mountain Fire, located 15 miles northwest of Whitehall, MT between Ratio Mountain and Whitetail Reservoir, is burning in an area that has recently experienced several large fires. Fire footprints (or previously burned areas) lie to the north (State Creek Fire of 2020), the south (McClusky Fire of 2019), and the west (Placer Fire of 2021) of the fire location. 

These areas contain a large concentration of standing dead trees (“snags”) that pose challenges to ensuring firefighter safety and in responding to potential medical emergencies, jeopardizing the well-being of all responders. 

 

Basic Information
Current as of Fri, 11/08/2024 - 10:04
Incident Time Zone America/Denver
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Lightning
Date of Origin
Location 15 miles northwest of Whitehall, MT.
Incident Commander Matt Racicot
Noah Criner (T)
Coordinates 46° 2' 43'' Latitude
-112° 11'
46
'' Longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel: 74
Size 1,158 Acres
Fuels Involved

The entire area, including the previous fire footprints and the area immediately surrounding the Ratio Mountain fire, contains a large concentration of standing dead trees (“snags”) that pose challenges to ensuring firefighter safety and in responding to potential medical emergencies, jeopardizing the well-being of firefighters and other responders. 

Significant Events

Short Crown Runs

Group Torching

Isolated Torching

 

Outlook
Planned Actions

Crews will continue to monitor and engage fire as needed near the cabin. 

In addition, crews will hold and improve the east flank,  and other areas that fire has been brought to on the holding lines. 

 

Projected Incident Activity

Isolated torching with backing and creeping. Fire will continue moving uphill and to the northwest. Potential for short crown runs on the northwest flank if outflow winds hit the fire.

Remarks

Fire managers from the Forest, working in collaboration with local Jefferson County officials and cooperating agency representatives from the DNRC and BLM, have identified, mapped, and prioritized critical values at risk in and around the fire area. These inter-agency, values-based discussions are critical in fire management, informing the decision-making process for incident management.

The northern, eastern, and southern edges of the fire are currently where fire managers want them, preventing forward progression of the fire toward critical values at risk. Recent strategic firing operations have been successful at protecting these values identified by local Jefferson County officials and cooperating agency representatives, by keeping the fire on Forest Service land west of the Hay Canyon Road and north of Little Whitetail Creek.

Current Weather
Weather Concerns

Thunderstorms and showers this afternoon will bring 80 to 100 percent chance for erratic outflow winds gusting over 40 mph with only a 40 percent chance for winds gusting over 50 mph. Overnight, the storms will bring a 60 to 80 percent chance of a wetting rain to zones 109 and 110. Wednesday onward, another warm, dry ridge build over the area for the long term.