MOOSE FIRE REACHES 75% CONTAINMENT

Moose Fire Camp, Columbia Falls, Mont. - Moisture from Friday's rainfall and favorable weather conditions continued to help firefighters make good progress on Saturday containing the Moose Fire. Containment is now at 75%. There was no measurable growth in the fire, which still stands at about 71,000 acres.

Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) treatment continues on the fire. BAER work is completed to alleviate emergency conditions to help stabilize soil. Its purpose is to control water, sediment and debris movement; prevent impairment of ecosystems; and reduce significant threats to health, safety, life, property, and downstream values at risk. Treatment is sometimes limited to only the severely burned areas, steep slopes, places where water runoff will be considerable, and fragile slopes above homes, businesses, water supplies and other valuable facilities.

With the cooling trend and the progressing containment of the fire perimeter firefighters are beginning to be released from the Moose Fire. Crews and other fire personnel completing their 14-day assignment are returning home. About 85 personnel were released yesterday and 77 more will demob today. Excess equipment is also being released. The total number of personnel now stands at 523.

For more information call the Fire Information Center at 892-8970 or 892-9053. Up-to-date information, current fire perimeter maps and photos are available on the Moose Fire web site at its new location: www.nps.gov/glac/resources/fires_2001/fires.htm.

The Flathead National Forest continues to offer bus tours of the fire area. For additional information, contact the Flathead National Forest at 758-5204 or 758-5208.