Wilderness fires update
Two wilderness fires continue growing
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More than half a dozen lightning-caused fires continue to burn in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The largest, the Red Shale Fire on the Rocky Front, was first reported by the Beartop Lookout on July 18.
The second largest, the Damnation Fire, and six other smaller fires are burning not far from the South Fork of the Flathead River in the middle of the wilderness area. Several of those fires are believed to have started on Aug. 11 by lightning.
A red flag warning was issued on Thursday, Aug. 22, as weathermen forecasted thunderstorms and high winds through Friday afternoon, Aug. 23.
Forest Service personnel were contacting hikers, horseback riders and floaters about dangers as they passed through the area. Trail closures included Helen Creek Trail No. 100, Mist Trail No. 220, Hodag Creek Trail No. 701, Mud Lake Lookout Trail No. 470, East Side Trail No. 80 and West Side Trail No. 263.
• The Red Shale Fire continues to burn about 37 miles west of Choteau and had grown to about 11,283 acres by Aug. 23. Fire managers say it has high growth potential.
The fire is burning west of the North Fork of the Sun River and north of Red Shale and Gates creeks in steep, rugged terrain previously burned in the 1988 Gates Park Fire.
At one point, the Red Shale Fire crossed the North Fork of the Sun River at the mouth of Ray Creek, but water drops by helicopter and cooler, wetter weather slowed it down. A Type 4 incident team is on site.
Some trails in the area are closed, and fire personnel have implemented structure protection on the Gates Park pack bridge, Gates Park administrative site, Wrong Creek cabin and Rock Creek cabin.
• The Damnation Fire is burning on the east side of the South Fork of the Flathead River about four miles south of Black Bear Cabin, which is about eight miles south of the Meadow Creek Campground.
The fire covered about 500 acres on Aug. 16 but grew to about 5,493 acres by Aug. 25. The fire is burning in the Damnation and Lewis creeks drainages in areas burned by the Lewis Fire in 2000.
Fire managers are allowing the Damnation Fire to play its natural role in the wilderness, but the increased activity prompted Forest Service crews to set up structure protection for the Salmon Forks cabin and Mud Lake Lookout. Twenty-five fire personnel were on hand.
On Aug. 22, the fire moved toward East Side Trail No. 80 and crossed the trail at several places near Damnation and Lewis creeks. It also moved into the flats around Mud Lake and burned south into the Phil Creek drainage.
• The Snow Creek Fire was about 88 acres in size by Aug. 25 and burning about one mile south of the Black Bear Cabin on the west side of the South Fork of the Flathead River. The fire is in steep, rocky terrain at high elevation, moving slowly and being allowed to play its natural role in wilderness.
As a precaution, fire fighters wrapped structures at the Black Bear Cabin with fire-resistant materials, and sprinklers were placed on the Black Bear Bridge and around the corral. Five fire personnel were on hand at Black Bear Cabin.
• The tenth of an acre Pagoda Fire on the south side of Pagoda Mountain, about seven miles east-southeast of Black Bear Cabin, grew to about 10 acres by Aug. 25. It was burning in green timber with a lot of dead trees nearby, but it was mostly a ground fire.
• The tenth of an acre Hodag Fire is burning about a mile north of the Black Bear Cabin on the east side of the South Fork of the Flathead River. There has been very little growth in this fire.
• The Harrison Creek Fire was detected about four miles east of Meadow Creek Campground on Aug. 21 and had stabilized at about two acres by Aug. 25. Eleven firefighters were dispatched to put it out as it was creeping along with isolated crown torching.
• The Deer Creek Fire, about 6 miles northeast of the Meadow Creek Campground, was under half an acre by Aug. 23.
• Two small fires in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Divine Ridge and Ross Creek fires, were suppressed by smokejumpers by Aug. 23.
• In the Swan Lake Ranger District, the lightning-caused Scout Lake Fire had grown to seven acres by Aug. 25. Located about 12 miles southeast of Swan Lake and three miles south of Napa Lookout, the Scout Lake Fire was first detected Aug. 21.
Seventy firefighters, one helicopter and one bulldozer were on hand, and the Scout Lake Fire was 50 percent contained. There were no trail closures due to this fire.
The Flathead Forest is not currently under fire restriction regulations, but fire danger is high. Flathead Forest officials remind visitors that as firefighting resources are needed to respond to natural wildfires, it becomes even more important for everyone to be thoughtful and careful in their use of fire in the forest.
For more information about these fires and others in Montana, visit online at www.inciweb.org.