Another Fire update...

montanajoe

They determined the fire here was caused by a lightning strike.
No way!!!  There was not a cloud in the sky,and no storm activity at all that day.  I don't buy it!!!  Until I read this;

Custer Gallatin National Forest

2h

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Bridger Foothills Fire Preliminarily Determined to be Lightning Caused

Bozeman, MT – The US Forest Service, with support from the Gallatin County Sheriff’s office, has completed the initial investigation to determine what started the Bridger Foothills Fire. The fire was first reported on September 4, 2020. Investigators have announced that the likely cause of the fire appears to be the result of a hold-over lightning strike. Investigators will continue following up on any additional leads received prior to releasing a final cause determination.

This fire’s cause was determined by investigating a variety of different factors including interviewing first account observers, conducting detailed field work, and analyzing weather data. A “hold-over” means that the actual ignition of the fire likely occurred during a storm late August that produced extensive lightning over Bozeman and the Bridger Mountains. The fire came to life on September 4th after several days of warmer temperatures.

“It’s very common for fires to appear several days to weeks after a lightning storm has passed through,” said District Ranger Corey Lewellen. Earlier on the same day, fire crews responded to another fire just north of the Bridger Foothills Fire that was also determined to be a hold-over produced from the same storm

SCOUT5

So it smolders until it reaches some good fuel or/and a gust of wind comes along.   I've seen fires smolder underground in tree root systems for days.  A good fuel source with not enough oxygen to burn well but enough to keep it smoldering.

Rocky Raab

Like that coal mine in Pa(?) that's been burning now for something like 40 years.

Idahobound

I think the answer was completely political. If they said it was caused by man everyone would want to know who. They had no way to know for sure so it was lightening for the week prior. Sound like BS to me

toad67

Uh huh, and the Santiam fire was caused by climate change according to our Oregon Governor, flush down brown... The fire started 8/15, and was left to burn so they could get more Federal $$. They ignored it until we had our once in a century September wind storm that caused such devastation..... my blood just F'n boils at the elected leaders of our great state....

mohawk600

They need to exercise better forestry practices.................clear out the dead stuff and it would not be such a tinder box. The environmentalists won't allow it though.

Idahobound

the dead stuff is not the problem. It is over grow and no clear cutting done in years.

Toolman286

You're on it Rocky. Centralia, Pa. is one of many underground coal fires but that one took out a town. You drive thru & the * dumps are smoldering & smoking away. 

SW0320

Idahobound said:

the dead stuff is not the problem. It is over grow and no clear cutting done in years.

What gets me is that I have a tree farm.  In order to keep my tax exemption for the land I have to have a forest management plan by a licensed forester.  The plan calls for commercial thinning of certain stands each year.  When the thinning is done the underbrush is also cleared.  Something as simple as this would help tp mitigate the fires.