Up Top Fire

The unseasonably warm weather and wind this weekend caused the Up Top Fire in the 41 Complex of forest fires to spread to the north and east about 500 acres, according to Information Officer Tod McKay of the Bitterroot National Forest

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Wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour pushed the Up Top forest fire another 1,100 acres this weekend. So far, the fire has burned about 11,000 acres in the Bitterroot National Forest and currently is moving toward the east, spotting over into the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest northeast of Dam Lake

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The Up Top Fire in the 41 Complex of forest fires 8 miles east of Hamilton has begun to "boil" again, with temperatures back into the 80s in the Bitterroot Valley of Montana, according to Bitterroot National Forest information officer Tod McKay

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With Thursday's rain, not much movement from the Up Top Fire in the 41 Complex on the east side of the Bitterroot Valley in the Sapphire Mountains. Crews continued to work on the west side of the fire, working at least 100 feet inside the fire perimeter

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The smoke is making is hard for residents to see the fires surrounding the Bitterroot valley.
A couple of thunderstorm cells grew during the afternoon Wednesday over the Sapphire Mountains in the vicinity of the Fox Peak Fire and then moved off to the east

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Crews continue to build fire lines on the northwest and southwest portions of the active Up Top Fire, part of the 41 Complex in the Sapphire Mountains, 10 miles east of Hamilton.
Fire traffic has increased on Hamilton Heights Road, as fire crews use that road as a quicker way to access the northwest corner of the fire

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The amount of smoke increased from a couple of burnouts on the Up Top Fire, part of the 41 Complex forest fire in Sapphire Mountains east of Hamilton. The Up Top Fire has been creeping down into Saint Clair Creek and a second contingency fire line has been constructed on private lands to the west of the fire, which is almost 7,000 acres as of Sunday evening

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As of 7am Friday, the Up Top Fire in the 41 Complex was 5,634 acres. That fire is expected to continue to be active in the dry, hot days to come. The fire has moved south and west in the last 24 hours

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The 41 Complex on the east side of the Bitterroot Valley in the Sapphire Mountains has crossed the Skalkaho Highway in numerous places and continues to grow in the hot, dry weather. As of Thursday morning, the largest fire, The Up Top Fire - which caused officials to close the Skalkaho Highway - has burned over 4500 acres so far

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The 41 Complex of forest fires in the Sapphire Mountains east of Hamilton is mainly the Up Top Fire, which has now cross Skalkaho Highway on its way south. Of the total 3,700 acres, the Up Top Fire is 3,627 acres, while the 41 Fire is 105 acres and is 90 percent contained, according to Public Affairs Officer Tod McKay

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