Crews still battling the Pryor Creek Road wildfire and attempting to contain it

Billings, Montana – On the Crow Reservation, near Pryor Creek, a wildfire that threatened multiple residences was still being fought by fire men on Wednesday.

According to a representative for the BIA Crow Agency fire control team, the fire’s estimated extent was downgraded from the 10,000 acres reported Tuesday evening to between 1,000 and 2,000 acres as of Wednesday morning. In a news statement, spokesman Jon Kohn stated that mapping efforts would result in an exact estimate on Wednesday.

“Managers have estimated from 250 to 10,000 acres – burned areas do not shrink, but in the heat of protecting values at risk (life and property), measuring a fire’s size accurately is sometimes not a priority,” Kohn said in the press release. “Throughout Tuesday, efforts focused on protecting threatened homes and structures. Two outbuildings were lost and 20 to 30 homes were threatened.”

About four miles northeast of Pryor, in farm areas close to Hay Creek, the fire started about 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday. The blaze burned across grass and creek bottoms due to the hot heat and strong winds. The fire was started by humans, according to officials.

The conflagration drew the attention of numerous agencies.

In less populated ranchlands east of Pryor Creek, toward the Wild Horse Ridge and Beauvaus Creek areas, according to Kohn, the fire on Wednesday was moving.

“Resources on the fire or available today include a great many aircraft and engines from cooperating nearby agencies,” Kohn said in the press release. “BIA Crow and Pryor engine crews returned to quarters before dawn for mandatory recuperation, but Crow Agency helicopter and firefighters will be working the fire today.”