Ordway Fire Burns 185 Acres Northeast of Craig, Evacuations Ordered

The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation order at 7:40 p.m. on March 20 for residents near Ordway Road east of Craig, as an escaped debris burn grew to 185 acres roughly 2.5 miles northeast of town and forced road closures across several county roads.

Evacuations covered areas south of Beaver Slide Loop, including Arrow Drive, Ordway Road, and Little Bear Lane. The sheriff's office also closed North Fork Road, the junction of Charbonneau Drive and Frazier Road, and both ends of Beaver Slide Loop. Residents who evacuated were told they could not return until the order was lifted; those who chose to stay were required to remain on their own property.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation reported the fire at 50% containment, with nine engines, one tender, one Type 1 helicopter, and two hand crews working the fire. DNRC estimated that line construction around the perimeter would be complete by the end of March 22. Winds were expected to continue overnight, with fire conditions set to be reevaluated Saturday.

Early reporting by MTN News placed the fire at roughly 70 acres as of 5:45 p.m. on March 20, with Sheriff Leo Dutton telling MTN he was headed to the fire to evaluate whether evacuations were needed. Later updates from DNRC and Lewis and Clark County Emergency Management put the final size at 185 acres.

The Ordway Fire was not the only fire to ignite in the corridor between Great Falls and Helena on March 20. The Rattlesnake Fire, also caused by an escaped debris burn, burned 47 acres west of I-15 near the Gates of the Mountains exit and reached 80% containment with four engines on scene. DNRC reported a line around the Rattlesnake perimeter with mop-up underway, noting that stumps burning in the interior would continue producing smoke visible from I-15. The agency asked the public not to call 911 regarding that fire, as personnel were already on scene.

Smoke from the Rattlesnake Fire earlier in the day had forced the closure of northbound I-15 lanes, backing traffic more than a mile from the Gates of the Mountains exit. By 5:00 p.m., traffic had slowly resumed and was being led through the area with a pilot vehicle.

Two additional fires in neighboring Jefferson County were also listed in DNRC's multi-fire update. The Golconda Fire, southeast of Jefferson City on Tizer Lake Road, burned six acres and reached 100% containment. The Panama Fire, burning north of I-90 near mile marker 263 northeast of Cardwell and started by a campfire on March 18, burned 598 acres and was also listed at 100% containment under active patrol.

Residents within the Ordway Fire evacuation area were advised to take essential items including medications and necessary medical equipment if leaving, and to avoid the area to allow fire crews to work. No injuries or structure losses were reported in any of the available updates.