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Red Lodge Firefighters Make Progress, Watch Winds

A fire that broke out Saturday in grass and dense timber near Red Lodge was 30 percent contained Tuesday

By Dillon Tabish

RED LODGE — Firefighters in Montana are mopping up but keeping a close eye on the winds.

Mariah Leuschen, spokeswoman for the Custer Gallatin National Forest, says a fire that broke out Saturday in grass and dense timber near Red Lodge was 30 percent contained Tuesday. A plane equipped with infrared sensors went up Tuesday morning, while dozens of firefighters on the ground were painstakingly feeling along the edges of the blaze. The high-tech equipment and the human teams both are seeking lingering embers and hot spots.

Leuschen says firefighters are concerned about strong winds expected to accompany a cold front Tuesday afternoon after a sunny, warm morning.

Meanwhile, the Pine Crest fire 4 miles northeast of Columbus, which also broke out Saturday, was reported 45 percent contained.