NEWS

Benchmark Fire stalls, crews work to flank flames

David Murray
dmurray@greatfallstribune.com

Still little more than 50 acres in size, the Benchmark fire west of Augusta did not grow overnight but remains a blaze of significant concern for fire crews heading into the weekend.

“Crews have made good progress building line,” said Dave Cunningham, spokesman for the Benchmark Fire Interagency Management Team. “Handcrews continued to work on strengthening and constructing a fire line, and they continue to do that today. What they’re trying to do is encircle it. You start at a safe place, you cut your anchor point, then you just try to work to flank the fire.”

The Benchmark fire has been burning in steep terrain with thick timber and heavy fuels since it was first reported Monday. The popular recreation area is dotted with dozens of cabins, 10 of which evacuated Tuesday afternoon after fire activity began to intensify.

The only road into the area is now closed to traffic, and firefighters were forced back briefly Tuesday afternoon as groups of trees began torching in their crowns.

“Retardant drops designed to slow fire spread on Aug. 25 were not successful due to steep terrain and tall, thick timber,” a management team news release states. “Four helicopters dropped water throughout the day (Wednesday). Smokejumpers and hot shots worked directly on the fire, and remained in place on the fireline throughout the night.”

Structure protection is in place at the South Fork of the Sun River pack bridge, the historic Kenck Cabin and the Benchmark Cabin.

At the same time, additional new fires are being reported in the same general vicinity. The most concerning of these is a small blaze that has been labeled the Sheep Mountain fire burning west of Gibson Reservoir in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.

“The K Bar L Guest Ranch is about five miles downwind of that, so yesterday they were trying to size that fire up,” Cunningham said. “There are a number of other fires going on in what we are calling the Family Peak Complex, but it’s been so smoky that our lookouts really can’t see them and we haven’t been able to fly because of smoke. But we do anticipate that some of those other fires have increased their activity and are growing.”