Starting today or tomorrow. Forest fire approaching vicinity of Essex, Montana on Marias Pass. The High Line route may be shutting down as soon as noon today, depending upon fire advances. Detours planned via Montana Rail Link. Structures in possible harms way include snowsheds and even the famous Izaak Walton Hotel (ex-GN RY railroad crew quarters).
Sure are a lot of fires this year. We don't have any close by to us in the Bozeman area, but the smoke is so bad that visibility is less than a mile at times. With fires in California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana, we'll probably have to put up with these conditions until the snow flies.
BTW- That info I posted was straight from both BNSF and MRL sources. Fires in my vicinity, but not exactly close. This valley is full of smoke. Last night under the street lights it looked like heavy fog. Everything in the house smells like smoke. I agree, it'll burn into October at least.
Also note the BNSF fire train should now be at least in Whitefish, Montana. If not further east. Rare photo opportunity here! That is if the highway remains open.
Just an update. US Highway 2 and the BNSF on Marias Pass are shut down. Anyone wishing to follow this might find information in a search by looking for the "Sheep Fire".
We're still getting a lot of smoke down here in the Gallatin Valley from this and other fires. The first picture is of what it normally looks like looking off of my front porch. The next two pictures were taken around 1 PM. It was a cloudless day, but the smoke really cut off the sun light. The first shot was looking directly at the sun, the second looking south to where the Spanish Peaks used to be. At times visibility was less than a mile. I have been keeping tabs on all of the western fires.
We have had soot on vehicles for some days now, even though no fire is that close. Smoke in the house. Last night a skunk wandered by, so we had skunky smoke stench all night. Air quality warnings, stay indoors, etc, etc. Sore throat for several days now.
Some photos (slide show ) and video here: http://flatheadbeacon.com/2015/08/20/essex-on-edge-as-wildfire-surges-toward-highway-2/
It is amazing to watch the aircraft dropping retardant and water. A few years back we had a fire at the south end of the valley at the north end of the Gallatin National Forest and I was watching helicopters dropping water and then going right back to the Gallatin River to get another load. They also has slurry bombers fighting the fire. This fire had US 191 shut down for days between Bozeman and West Yellowstone. I got some great video of the aircraft right from my front porch.
Back in the late 1980's, there was a fire on the mountain one mile north of where we lived at that time. We had a great view of the fight. The water bomber was a four engine prop, which had a single engine job leading. After their drop, they were pulling out right over our home. Talk about noise and shaking things up! That one one of three fires on that mountain, during the years we were there. One was lightning, two were caused by idiots.
Doesn't sound like a good time right now. I know they've got a pair of the C-130's from here that can do the drops out that way (not sure where they're actually being used at the moment)
Been home sick the last 2 days and I haven't noticed any increased traffic on the MRL.......when do they expect the detours?
The line has only been closed about 30 hours now. Just confirmed they have indeed had a batch of detours, intermodals, grain and merchandise trains.
Emergency announcement on the radio just now. Mandatory evacuation of Essex, Montana. Winds have shifted and fire activity increased, so the little town is now in danger. BNSF fire crews are now on high alert. As yet the highway and railroad remain open, but for how long is unknown, unless the winds and fire ebbs again.
They've closed the Pass again. Apparently last night the fire starting moving toward the BNSF line and highway, again.