Basin Creek Reservoir wildfire grows to 3 acres near Butte

BUTTE, Mont. – Firefighters from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest (BDNF) are battling a wildfire in the Basin Creek Reservoir area, located 11 miles south of Butte and one mile southeast of the Basin Creek Picnic Area. 

The fire was reported late Saturday afternoon.

Initially estimated at one acre, the fire has now grown to an estimated 3 acres. It was burning actively in heavy slash and creeping toward a timbered area, with no snow present at the site, BDNF said in a release.

Firefighters worked until 7:00 p.m. to complete a saw line along the southern edge and portions of the northern edge of the fire as a line to conduct small-scale tactical firing operations to remove fuel from the active fire edge.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by Forest Service Law Enforcement.

Additional firefighters are joining the effort today, working toward full extinguishment.