MTBDF McDermott

Last updated:

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The type of incident is Wildfire and involves the following unit(s) Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

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State: Montana

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Coordinates:

Latitude: 46° 31 46 Longitude: 113° 28 51

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NOTE: All fire perimeters and points are approximations.

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Incident Overview: The McDermott Fire, located in the Upper Willow Creek area, is burning in an inaccessible area containing a large concentration of standing dead trees (“snags”) that pose challenges to ensuring firefighter safety and in responding to potential medical emergencies, jeopardizing the well-being of firefighters and other responders.Fire managers from the Forest, working in collaboration with local county officials and cooperating agency representatives, have identified and prioritized critical values at risk in the fire area. The closest values are located three miles to the east of the fire’s location.Helicopters dropped water on the fire during the initial attack phase, but high winds and the inaccessibility of the fire location resulted in fire growth. Additionally, drift smoke from other large fires to the west and south resulted in the inability to fly additional helicopters for air operations in subsequent days.