Montana officials tour fire

WEST YELLOWSTONE, Mont. – A 3,660-acre wildfire burning just north of West Yellowstone did not grow Saturday and was 60 percent contained as Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and other officials toured the area.

More than 400 firefighters, including six Hot Shot crews and three hand crews, reinforced lines from the southern point of the fire up to the shores of the Madison Arm of Hebgen Lake, fire information officer Al Nash said.

Three of the Hot Shot crews were expected to leave today, as was one of the seven helicopters dumping water on the flames, as firefighters continued to gain the upper hand on the blaze, officials said.

Baucus spoke with fire managers Saturday morning before touring the scene by air with several Gallatin County commissioners and West Yellowstone City Manager Jamie Green, fire information officer Gary Hoshide said.

The Madison Arm fire was discovered Wednesday and is burning along the southern end of the Madison Arm of Hebgen Lake and the Madison River. It has cost about $1.1 million to date, Hoshide said.

Crews continued to watch for spot fires Saturday to the north and east, where high temperatures and erratic winds fueled growth earlier in the week.

Evacuation orders remained in effect for 45 to 50 summer homes, the Madison Arm Resort, several campgrounds and a ranger station. The Horse Butte area is on pre-evacuation notice.

Fire officials said Friday that the blaze was human-caused but released no other details about its source.

Elsewhere, the Middle Fork fire burning in the Lewis and Clark National Forest southwest of Utica remained at 1,146 acres and was still 35 percent contained Saturday.