Gallatin County adds up Bridger Foothills fire impact

BOZEMAN, Mont. (KIFI/KIDK)-Gallatin County, Montana officials have tallied up the impact of the Bridger Foothills fire that swept through Gallatin and part of Park County beginning September 5, 2020.  

The fire grew from 400 acres to over 7,000 in a 6-hour period. The canyon topography, with homes located along long, winding roads, and surrounded by forest land, warnings and evacuations were extremely dangerous.

The Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office evacuated a total of 728 homes and 1,674 people.  588 residences and 1,352 people were in Gallatin County and 140 residences and 322 people were in Park County.   The total evacuation area was 165 square miles.

28 homes were lost to the fire, but there were no lives lost.  Firefighters suffered only 3 injuries.

Sheriff Brian Gootkin said he had 42 of his 62 deputies working the fire, totaling about 800 overtime hours.  Other agencies involved in the emergency effort included the Park County, Sweetgrass, and Carbon County Sheriff’s Offices, Bozeman and Montana State University Police Departments, the Montana Highway Patrol and the U.S. Forest Service.