Firefighters on Wednesday were trying to put out a 15-acre fire in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest on the east end of the Little Belt Mountains.
The Jellison Fire was reported the evening of July 12, U.S. Forest officials said. It is burning in steep, hard-to-access terrain about 2 miles north of Jellison Place Campground.
Smoke is visible from Judith Gap and Harlowton. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, forest officials said. As of the morning of July 13, the U.S. Forest Service had three engine crews, two Type 1 helicopters, one Type 3 helicopter, and a 20-person hand crew responding.
Type 1 helicopters are the largest, fastest flying helicopters used on wildland fires, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. They can typically carry 700 gallons of water or retardant via a bucket. Type 3 helicopters carry four to five firefighters at a time, and use a 180-gallon water bucket.
