Popular Eastern Montana Reservoir Evacuated Due to Fires

UPDATE MONDAY AROUND 5 PM FROM FWP PRESS RELEASE

Tongue River Reservoir State Park moves from Evacuation Recommendation to Evacuation Warning

The Big Horn County Sheriff's Office has changed the status at Tongue River Reservoir State Park from an Evacuation Recommendation on Saturday to an Evacuation Warning Monday, which is less severe.

The park is open and usable, but air quality is very poor. Several wildfires burning nearby have grown since the weekend and are providing a lot of smoke that is settling over the lake. Visitation is discouraged, particularly for sensitive populations. TRRSP also does not have Internet connectivity at this time.

INITIAL POST FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON

A popular Eastern Montana Reservoir was evacuated over the weekend due to nearby fires. Montana Fish, Wildlife, & Parks officials out of the Miles City office sent out an update Sunday.

According to MT FWP, "Wildfires burning near Tongue River Reservoir State Park prompted a voluntary evacuation of visitors to the park Saturday evening."

The press released added, "Due to fire conditions, continued hot weather and poor air quality, it is suggested that people with reservations or plans to visit do not travel to the park at this time. Several wildfires are burning in southeastern Montana, including the 3,000-acre, lightning-caused Deadman Fire and the 3,300-acre Anderson Fire, both burning about 30-plus miles southeast of Ashland and near TRR State Park."

The evacuation was recommended by Big Horn County officials Saturday night. MT FWP says the majority of campers and visitors left.

The Tongue River Reservoir State Park shared the news on their Facebook page, adding: "Highly recommend not recreating here at this time"

The Tongue River Marina posted this to Facebook around midnight Saturday. "We will still be open our normal business hours as long as it is safe to be here. Prayers that these fires will be extinguished soon and all of our neighbors are safe." They added in a comment Sunday morning that it was very smoky at the reservoir.

The Tongue River Reservoir is a popular destination for campers and boaters across Eastern Montana, including Billings and Miles City.

For statewide updates, visit FWP's restrictions and closures page by clicking here.

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Filed Under: fires, fires, Montana FWP, campgrounds, Newsletter, Social Post

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