The State Creek fire has doubled in the past few days, growing from 1,000 to 2,354 acres as of Monday.
Those who had initially been evacuated from their cabins, however, are being allowed back in, and so far, no primary structures have been evacuated, according to Doug Dodge, disaster and emergency services coordinator for Jefferson County.
The blaze, which was initially detected on Aug. 29, is burning through remote terrain located about 16 miles northeast of Whitehall. The fire was caused by lightening on Aug. 25, according to Inciweb.
The Butte office of the Bureau of Land Management has order restrictions on camping, day use, road access and hunting in the Little Whitetail and Hay Canyon areas of Jefferson County due to the fire.
It is believed lightening ignited the fire a few days before it was detected, and so far, it is 0% contained, according to InciWeb.
As of Sunday, there were 70 firefighters on the scene, including a Type 2 crew from Oregon and a Type 3 engine from Jefferson County.
The Jefferson City Volunteer Fire Department had a tender on the scene Monday with two firefighters, but that was probably their last day, said Dodge.
Monday’s cold, wet weather helped damp the flames, but the forecast calls for warmer and dryer temperatures so the fire will likely become more active as the weather changes, said Dodge, adding that crews were grateful for the reprieve.
Dodge said there has been more than 75 wildland fire calls this year in the county, but so far the State Creek and Lump Gulch fires have been the largest.
