Missoula, MT (July 26, 2021) – A firefighter on the West Granite Complex was scouting an area suitable for fire-line and missed their scheduled check-in. At approximately 7:30 p.m. on July 25, 2021, Missoula County Dispatch was notified of the missing individual, and California Inter-agency
Incident Management Team 15 began multiple attempts to contact the male firefighter. Unable to reach the male the Team began to search by ground and air.
Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and Missoula County Search and Rescue were dispatched to at 8:20 p.m. The individual’s vehicle was located in the vicinity of the White Mountain Lookout (Trail #318) and Pilot Knob (Trail #316), southwest of Missoula at approximately 9:40 p.m. A Mutual Aid Request immediately went out to Two Bear Air by Missoula County Search and Rescue and Sheriff’s Office staff.
Airspace was cleared with the Incident Management Team and Two Bear Air began assisting Missoula County Search and Rescue ground resources.
The individual realized they were not in there intended location and radio and phone communication was not available. To minimize impacts to himself and local search and rescue resources he found an area suitable to stay the night.
The male was located by Missoula County Search and Rescue just after midnight on July 26, 2021. He was tired and thirsty but uninjured and able to make his way out unassisted by Missoula County Search and Rescue volunteers.
