Firefighters containing new wilderness fire

Forest Service concerned about human-caused fires

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A one-acre fire burning at Independence Park in the Bob Marshall Wilderness appears to be human-caused, Flathead National Forest officials report.

Initial attack crews responded to the site along the South Fork of the Flathead River about 12 miles south of Meadow Creek Campground and two miles south of the Black Bear patrol cabin.

According to Flathead Forest spokesman Wade Muehlhof, the fire was detected on Monday, July 22. Six firefighters were still at Independence Park two days later. The fire had not increased in size, and they expected to have it contained on July 24.

The fire appears to have started from a camp fire that was not properly extinguished, Muehlhof said. More than a dozen human-caused fire starts have been reported on the Flathead Forest this summer, and Forest Service law enforcement officers are investigating them. Forest visitors who are careless with camp fires, cigarettes and other ignition sources can be fined or face jail time if convicted.

A joint committee with fire personnel from the Forest Service, National Park Service, Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and Flathead County meet each week to discuss fire dangers. As of July 22, they had not decided to implement Stage 1 fire restrictions, but the number of human-caused fires could influence their decision, Muehlhof said.