Rimfire Minerals Corporation TSX VENTURE: RFM

Rimfire Announces Prospecting Discovery in Southern British Columbia

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Feb. 5, 2009) - Rimfire Minerals Corporation, (TSX VENTURE:RFM), is pleased to announce prospecting and geochemical results from its recently optioned

Gillis Property located 30 km southwest of Merritt, British Columbia.

Three areas of gold mineralization were identified, including 19.65 g/t gold from the only grab sample at the Fort Showing. Gold discoveries at Gillis represent an exciting exploration opportunity in an underexplored area of southern British Columbia.

The Gillis project is situated in the same physiographic region as the notable epithermal gold occurrences in the Cretaceous-aged Spences Bridge Group which, like the Gillis, were only recently discovered. Prior to 2005, there was no recorded work on the Gillis property itself and Rimfire's high-grade gold discovery is the first ever reported on the property.

The property lies 600 metres west of the Coquihalla Highway and a power line traverses the northern portion of the property.

In 2008, Rimfire carried out a mapping, prospecting and soil sampling program (over 1700 samples) focusing on drainages anomalous in gold (defined by government RGS sampling) on the western side of the property.

Prospecting resulted in the discovery of three areas of precious metal mineralization highlighted by the Fort showing which returned 19.65 g/t gold and 201 g/t silver from a 30 centimetre grab sample.

This was taken from one vein located within a 30 metre discontinuous exposure in a creek bed exhibiting intense quartz veining. Two other areas, the SAV and South Side, returned float and outcrop sample values ranging from 1-4 g/t gold and 65-213 g/t silver.

These occurrences do not explain the extent and strength of the large gold, silver, arsenic and antimony soil geochemical anomalies within which they lie.

"We are very encouraged by the results of our 2008 program at Gillis," stated Mark Baknes, VP of Exploration. "Silt and soil geochemical sampling have proven to be effective exploration tools. The anomalous area identified by soil geochemistry measures 1.8 by 1.5 km and is anchored by new gold-silver prospects in three areas. With all the soil geochemical results in hand, we look forward to getting back to work on this new target."

Planning for a 2009 program at Gillis is underway. This program will likely include additional prospecting, mapping and expansion of the soil geochemical survey coverage. Backhoe trenching may also be used to investigate soil geochemical anomalies.

Property Status

Rimfire has an option on the Gillis property whereby Rimfire can acquire 100% interest by making staged cash payments and conducting $300,000 in exploration over 4 years. The vendors will receive a share issuance upon definition of 500,000 oz gold resource and retain a 2.0% NSR, of which 1.5% may be purchased by Rimfire.

About Rimfire

Rimfire Minerals Corporation is an aggressive, well-financed mineral exploration company with a portfolio of highly prospective gold and copper properties in western North America and Australia.

Current and former partners include AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Barrick Gold Corporation, Newmont Mining Company, Inmet Mining Corporation, Northgate Minerals Corporation, Fronteer Development Group Inc., Rubicon Minerals Corporation, American Creek Resources Ltd., Island Arc Exploration Corporation, Jaguar Minerals Limited and BWG.

On behalf of Rimfire Minerals Corporation

Jason Weber, P.Geo., President & CEO

No stock exchange, securities commission or other regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained herein.