Rain dampens wilderness area wildfires

A good dose of rain last week helped quell fires in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. While the fires aren't dead out, no significant growth is expected, said Seth Carbonari, a fire management officer with the Spotted Bear Ranger District.

The fires saw from half an inch to more than an inch of rain. Some trails near fires have reopened, while others remained closed.

Despite a cold wet spring, there was still significant fire growth. Carbonari said the weather changed in mid-July. It stopped raining and became hot and dry through August and early September, which allowed the fires to grow.

One fire, the Big Salmon Lake Fire, was human caused. The remaining wilderness fires were caused by lightning. The following is an update on each fire:

• The Big Salmon Lake Fire is currently 5,337 acres. Trail No. 110, the Big Salmon Creek Trail, has reopened to Brownie Creek Trail, No. 451. Trail No. 111 remains closed.

• The Hammer Creek Fire, at 6,529 acres, is largely inactive with isolated creeping and smoldering. Lime Creek Trail No. 193, Tillson Peak Trail No. 127 and Sandstone Trail No. 7435 are all entirely closed. There is conditional access on Trail 80, the main trail along the South Fork of the Flathead, but travelers need to contact ranger stations for trail status.

• The Puzzle Creek Fire near Marias Pass is 1,579 acres. Morrison Trailhead and Trail No. 154 have reopened for use, but Skyland Road past Morrison Trailhead is closed to ATV traffic.

• The Stadler Creek Fire in the Bob Marshall Wilderness southwest of Benchmark is 561 acres. Ayres Creek and Fiction Creek Trails have reopened, but the Stadler/Hoadley access remains closed.

• The Clack Creek Fire is a high-elevation 121-acre fire near a ridge south of Clack Mountain. It is not expected to grow much or reach Clack Creek.

• The Upper Ayres Fire is also a high-elevation blaze. Mapped at 174 acres, it's located northwest of Ayres Peak.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a cooler week with clouds and a chance of rain each day, with highs in the 50s and 60s cooling the wildfire threat.