Update: Veteran Wildland Firefighter Killed at MT Wildfire Identified
Independent Record, Helena, Mont.
(TNS)
Madison County Sheriff's Office, along with the Northern Rockies Complex Incident Management Team 6, on Monday identified the firefighter who died in the line of duty on the Bivens Creek Fire as Ruben Gonzales Romero of Keizer, Oregon.
"Ruben was a veteran wildland firefighter with over 20 years of experience and was currently on a Type 2 crew with TJ Contracting LLC," an update from fire managers reads. "He served primarily as a sawyer, a firefighter who fells and cuts trees and brush with a chainsaw, as part of a 20 person crew and brought significant experience and wisdom to the fire line and the people with whom he worked. We rest a little more comfortably knowing that he died doing what he loved."
He suffered a cardiac emergency on Sunday. Medical assistance was rendered from a paramedic on the fire line, however resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
"He was a dedicated firefighter whom loved his job and enjoyed running his saw on the line. He brought joy, laughter, and wisdom to every crew he worked on," the post reads.
"Ruben, you will be dearly missed. Thank you for your dedication and hard work. Our deepest condolences to all his friends and family."
Romero’s family is in route to Montana and an honor guard made up of incident and local firefighters will remain with Ruben until his body is carried back home.
The firefighter suffered a cardiac emergency. Medical assistance was rendered from a paramedic on the fire line, however resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
"Our hearts go out to his family and friends," a release from Northern Rockies Incident Management Team 6 reads. "The wildland fire community is inherently interagency, and a line of duty death impacts us all."
"We deeply appreciate this firefighter's dedication to his profession and to the communities threatened by wildland fire."
Support is being provided to the fellow firefighters and friends on the Bivens Creek and Cloudrest fires.
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death.
"Susan and I ask all Montanans to join us in praying for the family and friends of this fallen hero," a Facebook post from Gov. Greg Gianforte reads.
The fire was listed Sunday at 2,242 acres with 0% containment. There are 741 personnel on scene.
Previous coverage
"Friday’s concern is the wind," a Friday morning fire update reads. "Winds typically come out of the southwest this time of year; however, winds are forecasted out of the northeast, pushing the fire in different directions and interacting with various terrain features."
Firefighters are adjusting tactics Friday to account for this while still trying to protect the primary values at risk.
An infrared flight was completed and captured the current fire size and shape more accurately after a couple days without the mapping. The Bivens Creek fire is now at 2,219 acres and the Cloudrest fire is at 1,733 acres.
Bivens Creek Aug. 20
Helicopter 5NC, a HH-60 L Blackhawk helicopter lands at Twin Bridges Airport for fuel, working the Bivens Fire on Wednesday, August 20th, 2025.
Officials are reporting 0% containment on both fires.
An Air Resource Advisor has been ordered to work with Madison County Public Health on air quality monitoring, as weather conditions will likely keep smoke at lower elevations. For air quality and smoke information, visit the AirNow air quality monitoring website.
Conditions Friday will be slightly cooler, with a small improvement in relative humidity. However, managers do expect continued active fire growth as the standing dead trees and downed timber remain very dry.
As mentioned, winds will be mainly northeast, with higher gusts at around 6 p.m. Friday.
Fire activity on both fires has been active at night due to an atmospheric condition known as a thermal belt – warmer air gets trapped at the higher mountain elevations, yielding far warmer temperatures.
Residents may see a glow from the fires late into the night, resulting from the active burning in this warm air.
Bivens Creek Public MEeting Aug. 20
Don Pyrah, Incident Commander for Norhern Rockies Team 6 explains that the team is “working for you and we want to have a positive impact on your community. We want to minimize the impacts to your community, your properties, your livelihoods, the best of our ability in the period of time that we're here.”
CLOUDREST
A Type 1 hotshot crew will continue to improve the containment line on the north end in the South Willow Creek drainage Friday.
By utilizing the natural features of the rocky terrain, firefighters will continue building fire line connecting these features to prevent spread down valley toward homes and the community of Pony.
Fire crews will scout and identify new primary and secondary control lines in the Indian Creek drainage, where the fire made some headway Thursday.
BIVENS CREEK
The Bivens Creek fire remains the highest priority to fire officials due to its proximity to residences in South Meadow Creek and areas south of the fire.
Firefighters made progress on the hand line on the west side of the fire and will continue to work north into Ramshorn Creek to help protect inholdings to the west.
There is active fire growth in the Ramshorn area that aerial resources will continue to address. The bulldozers were not able to reinforce the retardant lines on the east side of the fire due to fire activity, and fire managers think they will have a good opportunity Friday with the shift in wind directions.
A structure protection group will move into the South Meadow Creek area to begin assessing homes.
Updated on Aug. 21 at 10 a.m.
A community meeting has been scheduled for the two wildfires burning in the Tobacco Root mountains in Madison County.
The meeting will be 7 p.m. Thursday at the Ennis Assembly of God, at 402 Madison Street in Ennis.
Fire managers will discuss strategies, critical values, fire conditions and fire behavior. An infrared flight was not possible Wednesday night, so mapping and acreage have not been updated, although fire officials say that both fires have grown.
© 2025 the Independent Record (Helena, Mont.). Visit www.helenair.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.