We have talked about this in TCU and a lot of our fires burn from North/Northwest to the South/Southeast. The Local winds and the heating of the day with the terrain. You get up in a ship or AA you can see this on old fire scars… Butte fire had a little north wind behind it.
What really stuck out to me yesterday when watching live feed from the news chopper. Was the amount of dead trees laying on the ground and still standing. Plus when it made that initial run across that ridge of several ridges. The amount of small side drainages the fire was creeping into. Combine that with structure scatted all over. By what I see from my house this morning these folks have a very long day ahead of them.
There was a few recues I also heard yesterday. Hats off to the engines of whoever went to get those folks. That also throws a monkey wrench in the plans when your tying to fight fire.