For Immediate Release

Rough Draw Complex Update, August 25, 2003, 9:00am

The Rough Draw Complex consists of eight fires - the Rough Draw Fire (1180 acres), Slippery Rock Fire (1056 acres), Speculator #1 and #2, Hawley (15 acres), Brundage (606 acres), Elbow (28 acres), and the Walbrun Fire (3 acres). The change in acreage is due to more accurate mapping. Containment for all fires is currently 50%. Resources assigned include two Type 1 crews, one Type 2 crew, six helicopters, seventeen engines, five watertenders and two dozers, a total of 384 personnel.

A group of representatives from Fire Department of New York (FDNY) arrived yesterday. They will spend several days with the Southwest Area Incident Management Team to learn more about the Incident Command System (ICS) that is used to manage long term incidents, such as the Rough Draw Complex. Please welcome them.

Rough Draw Fire - Located on the northern boundary of the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, at the head of Mission Creek Drainage, in the Gallatin National Forest. Smoke on the Rough Draw yesterday was from interior islands of fuel that continued to burn; the fire's perimeter did not grow at all. Some interior burning and smoke can be expected again today. Mop up, back haul, and rehabilitation efforts will continue today.

Slippery Rock Fire - Located on a northwest ridge above Cottonwood Canyon. Yesterday, Mop up and rehabilitation efforts continued. Spot fires on the northwest corner of the fire were assessed. Residents that had been evacuated from their homes in Cottonwood Creek were allowed to return at noon. Today, firefighters will continue to mop up around the fire's perimeter, rehabilitate contingency lines and other areas that were affected by suppression efforts. They will also focus on containing a spot fire north of Pauline Creek. Interior burning is expected to continue.

Speculator #1 and #2, Hawley Fires -These fires have been fully contained.

Brundage - Located within the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, bounded by Hellroaring Cabin to the south, Iron Mountain to the east, Crow Mountain to the north, and Ash Mountain to the west. The Brundage Fire was monitored by aircraft yesterday and aerial monitoring will continue again today.

Elbow - Also located within the wilderness. Crews have made excellent progress on the Elbow Fire. Yesterday, mop up continued and back haul efforts were started. Rehabilitation efforts in the fire area and spike camp will continue, and the crew will be flown out at the end of their shift today.

Walbrun - (previously reported as Walburn). Crews were flown into the fire area yesterday. They began handline construction and were supported by helicopter bucket drops; these actions will continue today. Minimal movement is expected on all fires today.

For additional information, please call the Rough Draw Complex Information Center at 406-222-9280. Phones will be staffed from 7:00am until 8:00pm daily. The Southwest Area Incident Management Team website is operational at www.fireteam-sw.com/oltrogge.

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