BILLINGS - Fire fighters were on scene late into the night Friday night for a blaze covering eleven hundred and twenty acres just north of Billings. Smoke seemed to be fading away up on top of the Rims Fourth of July evening; but officials say they still don't have the Rehberg Ranch Fire contained.
The Billings Fire Marshall, Frank Odermann, says they were actually getting more resources as the sun went down Friday night. Crews and resources from Red Lodge, Absarokee, Reed Point, and Blue Creek were called in for assistance. Billings, the BLM, DNRC, Lockwood and Shepherd crews were also on scene. Earlier in the day the Sheriff's Department evacuated about 40 homes, and those folks were still not planning to go home late Friday night. "My wife was a lot more worried that I was, you watch TV and you read the newspaper and they do a pretty darn good job with structure protection." says evacuee Steve Kramer.
The weather didn't make things any easier. Shifting wind pushed the fire in different directions, but officials say they expected that. Earlier the fire jumped Alkalai Creek Road, but they pushed it back. Now all of the flames are south of the road.
Alkalai Creek Road remained closed Friday night where the pavement ends. Rod and Gun Club Road, the entrance into Rehberg Ranch, is only open to residents. Yellowstone Valley Electric officials say they've restored power to everyone who lost it when flames took down power lines earlier in the day.