elkinseye.com

Photography - Stories: Montana Firestorm

The Bitterroot Valley south of Missoula was virtually surrounded by fire during one of the worst fire seasons for the state of Montana. This essay is a glimpse into the war that was waged to fight the Bear Fire, one of hundreds of blazes to ravage the mountains of the Northern Rockies.

With flames leaping from treetop to treetop, a mountainside is engulfed above Skalkaho Creek east of the Bitterroot Valley. The Bear Fire, part of a large complex of fires, would eventually consume over 71,000 acres.
   
Like a war, battle lines are drawn and plans of attack devised to strategize firefighting efforts in the remote and rugged terrain.
   
Members of a fire crew from North Carolina cut a line and stamp out smoldering embers.
     
  
A rancher with property in the area is stopped by the Montana National Guard at a roadblock on Skalkaho Creek Road.
   
A helicopter makes a water drop on the eastern flank of the Bear Fire.
   
With work left to be done, a fire crew marches out after spending 14 hours on the fire line. After a short rest, they will be back cutting, digging and scraping to beat the blaze.