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Smoke from the Horse Gulch fire settles along the banks of Canyon Ferry Reservoir on July 14.Â
Photos: Firefighters and aircraft battle the Horse Gulch fire outside Helena
A fire crew walks through a section of burned area caused by the Horse Gulch fire checking for hot spots on July 16.
Smoke is seen settling over the valley from the Horse Gulch fire on July 14.
Gov. Greg Gianforte, left, is briefed on the Horse Gulch fire by Operations Section Chief Brandon Cichowski at the Shannon Boat Launch on July 16.
Gov. Greg Gianforte, left, is briefed on the Horse Gulch fire by Operations Section Chief Brandon Cichowski at the Shannon Boat Launch on July 16.
Gov. Greg Gianforte speaks about the Horse Gulch fire at the Shannon Boat Launch, while burned area sits behind him on July 16.
On July 16, Incident Cmdr. Scott Schuster briefs Gov. Greg Gianforte on the Horse Gulch fire and its impact on the surrounding areas at the Shannon Boat Launch.
Three members of a fire crew walk through burned area checking for hot spots caused by the Horse Gulch fire on July 16.
Spotting from the Horse Gulch fire burns in the Magpie Gulch canyon on July 11.
Spotting from the Horse Gulch fire burns in the Magpie Gulch canyon on July 11.
The Horse Gulch fire burns outside Helena on July 11.
A Croman Corporation Sikorsy S-61 works the Horse Gulch fire on July 11.
Spotting from the Horse Gulch fire burns in the Magpie Gulch canyon on July 11.
Private contract firefighters with Wildfire Defense Systems work structure protection on homes near the Horse Gulch fire on July 11.
Private contract firefighters with Wildfire Defense Systems work structure protection on homes near the Horse Gulch fire on July 11.
Private contract firefighters with Wildfire Defense Systems work structure protection on homes near the Horse Gulch fire on July 11.
A Billings Flying Service CH-47 works the Horse Gulch fire on Thursday.
Spectators watch the Horse Gulch fire burn from a recreation site on Canyon Ferry Reservoir on Thursday.
Firefighting personnel working the Horse Gulch fire receive a morning briefing on July 11.Â
U.S. Forest Service firefighters conduct a backburn operation along Jimtown Road on July 11 while working the Horse Gulch fire.
U.S. Forest Service firefighters conduct a backburn operation along Jimtown Road on July 11 while working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Horse Gulch fire burns into the night as flames are seen rising into the air above trees on July 10.
A CL-415 EAF "Super Scooper" drops water over the Horse Gulch fire on July 10.
Two Bell UH-1H helicopters circle around a water source before refilling to aid the firefighting effort for the Horse Gulch fire on July 10.
A Bell UH-1H helicopter prepares to lower its Bambi Bucket into the water near the Horse Gulch fire on July 10.
A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane helicopter circles back toward the Horse Gulch fire on July 10.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size July 10 in the afternoon. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size July 10 in the afternoon. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on the afternoon of July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on the afternoon of July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on the afternoon of July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on the afternoon of July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size on the afternoon of July 10. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size the afternoon of July 9. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size the afternoon of July 9. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
The Horse Gulch Fire burns outside Helena near Canyon Ferry.
The Horse Gulch fire south of York increased in size the afternoon of July 9. Aviation assets from various sources worked on the fire late into the evening.
Lewis and Clark County Undersheriff Brent Colbert speaks at a news conference discussing the Horse Gulch fire on July 10.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton speaks during a news conference where he discussed a plane crash that killed a 45-year-old pilot fighting the Horse Gulch fire on July 10, 2024.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Lewis and Clark Search and Rescue team responds to the crash of a firefighting aircraft at Hauser Lake on July 10. The aircraft was working the Horse Gulch fire.
The Globe Hotshots from Tonto National Forest in Arizona use Jim Darcy Elementary School on July 12 to sleep out of the sun during the Horse Gulch fire.
AÂ Globe Hotshots Tonto National Forest vehicle sits in the parking lot of Jim Darcy Elementary School on Friday during the Horse Gulch fire while the workers rest inside the school.
A Globe Hotshots Tonto National Forest vehicle sits in the parking lot of Jim Darcy Elementary School on July 12 during the Horse Gulch fire.
Dozer fire line constructed on the south end of the Horse Gulch fire north of Canyon Ferry Road on July 15.
A firefighter watches the Horse Gulch fire burn in Never Sweat Gulch on July 15.
Firefighters at the Horse Gulch fire morning briefing on July 14.
A wildland firefighter works a night operation on the Horse Gulch fire on July 15.
A group of attendees listen to Brandon Cichowski, an operations section chief, give updates on how teams are dealing with the Horse Gulch fire on the ground and in the air July 14 at Prickly Pear Elementary School.
Attendees listen to Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton give an update on the Horse Gulch fire at Prickly Pear Elementary School on July 14.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Leo Dutton talks about a map showing evacuation areas during an information meeting on the Horse Gulch fire at Prickly Pear Elementary School on July 14.
Smoke from the Horse Gulch fire settles along the banks of Canyon Ferry Reservoir on July 14.Â
Sonny Tapia is a criminal justice and education reporter for the Helena Independent Record.
Sonny Tapia
Photographer
