Seven agencies worked 800 overtime hours to contain fire
GALLATIN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE
BOZEMAN – On Sept. 5, the Bridger Foothills fire grew from approximately 400 acres to over 7,000 acres in a six hour period. This type of wind and fire behavior is extremely fast and dangerous. When you combine the canyon topography with residences located on long winding roads surrounded by forest, warnings and evacuations were extremely dangerous and difficult.
During the Bridger Foothills Fire, the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office warned and evacuated the a total of 728 residences and 1,674 people, including 588 residences, or 1,352 people, in Gallatin County and 140 residences, or 322 people, in Park County. The evacuation area (without Bracket Creek and Skunk Creek) is 165 square miles.
Total damage:
The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office had 42 deputies out of 62 who worked on the fire, totaling approximately 800 overtime hours on top of regular hours worked. The following law enforcement agencies assisted with road blocks and traffic control: Park County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetgrass County Sheriff’s Office, Carbon County Sheriff’s Office, Bozeman Police Department, MSU Police Department, Montana Highway Patrol and U.S. Forest Service.
