Firefighters battle Deep Draw blazes

By Ali Bronsdon / Leader Staff

According to Rich Janssen with the Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire, lightning storms sparked eighteen fires on the Flathead Reservation early Saturday morning. Local crews have been out fighting since around 12 a.m. Saturday and were able to contain all but one of the blazes, which has grown to an estimated 1,050 acres as of Tuesday afternoon.

Currently more than 150 personnel are working to suppress the flames of the Deep Draw fire, located on the western side of Deep Draw near Elmo, south of Highway 28. Others are mopping up the smoking remains of the Deep Draw Two fire, which burned nearly 500 acres east of Deep Draw.

"The tribe did a hell of a job stomping this," Dave Poukish with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation out of Kalispell said in regards to the Deep Draw Two fire. "Their priorities were right on. It threatened the area the most because it would have taken out the whole drainage, there are structures to the east and south — it's not a good drainage for this fire to be in."

However, now worried that the smoke and ash from the currently flaming Deep Draw fire could re-ignite the eastern slopes, Glen McNitt, Northern Rockies Incident Management Team Commander says weather and high winds are the biggest factor that will affect their ability to contain the blaze.

"We are expecting higher temperatures and lower humidity later in the week, so we have a small window here to get the fire contained," he said.

According to McNitt, those changes would increase the potential for spotting — when winds enable hot embers to jump ahead of the flames. As of Tuesday afternoon, this was already beginning to take place as the flames had jumped over the ridge line leading into Deep Draw toward the drainage connecting to Deep Draw Two. Air attack planes and helicopters were dropping water and retardant all day, hoping to stop it from descending any further. Air support was activated as soon as visibility permitted on Saturday morning, McNitt said.

Polson's Michael Pierre, with a Native American Crew (NAC) out of Ronan was working to stomp the remaining smokers on the eastern slopes. He had been in the field since day one and said his first shift was 17 hours long. Pierre knew the Deep Draw area well from years of hunting there and said the steep, rocky terrain presented a problem to crews, which were moving up a ridge on Monday before they were forced to turn back.

"We had 50 to 55 mile-per-hour gusts that took it and blew it up," he said. "As soon as that wind took off, it was gone and there was nothing we could do."

According to McNitt, access to the area was another main concern early on. Logging roads needed to be cleared of downed trees and dead timber. Erosion also presented a problem for vehicles.

"We can't put people back in there if there is no way to get them out safely," he said. "We may have to back off and do an indirect line around Deep Draw if we can't get people in there safely."

As of Tuesday, active fire fighters included two type two fire crews from Ronan, Ft. Belknap, Rocky Boy, and Browning as well as the Carson Nevada and Smoky Bear Hotshots. Several dozers, one skidgine, six type six engines and two structural protection engines were being utilized with Ronan, Arlee, and Polson Volunteer Fire Departments, Tribal Forestry, and private contractors, Janssen said.

"We ask the public to stay away from coming out to look at the fire," he said. "We'll have a fire information center set up near Elmo if you want to come out and get information. Unless you absolutely have to travel that road, please try to avoid it at all cost."

In addition, the speed limit on Highway 28 has been reduced to 35 m.p.h. and McNitt asks drivers to respect that limit.

"We've already had a minor accident and if we have a major one, it limits our ability to get resources to the fire," he said.