Purdy fire reaches 4,500 acres,

By KAYLEY MENDENHALL Chronicle Staff Writer

evacuees allowed to visit homes

Although temperatures were lower and humidity levels higher Saturday than earlier in the week, the Purdy fire left another 500 acres of forest land burned in its wake.

The total area burned by late Saturday was approximately 4,500 acres, said Bruce Fox, public information officer.

"The fire is wanting to move in a northeasterly direction, probably most of the growth was in that direction," Fox said. "It's supposed to be about 10 degrees warmer tomorrow than today and about 10 percent lower humidity ...quot; so we could have more fire activity tomorrow."

At this point, Fox said there are no estimates as to when the lightning-caused fire might be contained. It was first reported early Wednesday morning.

A Type 1 incident management team took over at 6:30 p.m. Saturday and Fox said there were eight "hot shot" crews working the blaze along with eight Type 2 crews. Several helicopters dumped water on the area throughout the day.

Fox said much of the activity that could be seen from town was crews "burning out" areas near Wilson and Little Bear creeks.

"They are burning from behind the homes up to the fire's perimeter so there's no unburned fuel between the homes and the fire's edge," Fox said.

No more evacuations were ordered Saturday and home owners who had been evacuated were allowed to return to their residences to pick up items. Fox said those people who signed a waiver could remain in their homes, but the evacuation orders for 30 structures in the upper end of Wilson Creek, Yankee Creek and Little Bear were expected to remain in place at least through Sunday.

Fox said crews Saturday worked on the fire line on the south end of the fire.

"That will continue to be strengthened tomorrow," he said. "The line will be continued around the southwest corner, moving north along the west side of the fire. The northwest side of the fire has been lined; that will be strengthened and mopped up."

At this point, suppression costs for the fire total $1.3 million, Fox said.

Part of the Gallatin National Forest surrounding the fire is closed to the public, along with part of U.S. Highway 191. Stage I fire restrictions were put in place on the forest as of midnight Friday.

Such restrictions prohibit fires or campfires, except camp stoves and charcoal fires only at designated recreation sites. Smoking is prohibited except in an enclosed vehicle, building, developed recreation site or area cleared of all flammable material, according to the Gallatin National Forest.

For more information, contact the fire camp at 763-3246 or the Bozeman District Office of the Gallatin at 522-2050.

A community meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. Sunday in the Gallatin Gateway Community Center.

Kayley Mendenhall is at kmendenhall@dailychronicle.com.