The Wigwam and Monument fires continue to burn in the Gravelly Mountains near Ennis. The fires have burned nearly 10,000 acres in Madison County.
The Monument fire has burned 5,733 acres and has been five percent contained, while Wigwam fire is at 4,190 acres and is at zero percent contained, which has caused a few evacuations.
“The only evacuations that are currently in place on the Wigwam fire in the Haypress area, there’s about eight families that have been evacuated,” said Marc Peebles, A Public Information Officer with the US Forest Service. “We do have a structure protection group that is in that area, and they are keeping an eye on those structures and watching those fires spread, and ready to provide protection should the need arise.”
Officials say the fires are on the move.
“We’re seeing a little bit of movement to the west of course and we’re seeing some movement on the Monument Fire to the north and also a little bit to the SE down into the Teepee Basin area,” Peebles added.
Crews are concerned that new fires will form or the fires will spread due to the threat of dry thunderstorms.
Unlike the Bacon Rind Fire currently burning in Gallatin County, fire personnel are trying to fully extinguish these fires as quickly as possible
“We’re taking this thing head on,” said Peebles. “Yesterday we had the very large air tanker (DC-10) make multiple drops on the Haypress fire specifically in that area around those areas because that’s our top priority. These are considered full suppression fires. They’re not being burned for resources or ecological benefit.”
Peebles said that about 173 personnel are helping to put out the blaze with more on the way.
