Marston Fire scorches more than 3,000 acres

The Marston Fire north of Whitefish doubled in size over the past week and now has charred about 3,300 acres.

The lightning-caused fire sparked Tuesday, Aug. 11 on steep slopes in the Fortine District of the Kootenai National Forest. The fire is only 5 percent contained.

The blaze is a part of the Northeast Kootenai Complex, which includes the 60-acre Sunday Fire and the 42-acre Barnaby Fire.

A number of smoke plumes from the Marston Fire are visible from Highway 93 at Dickey Lake in Lincoln County.

The fire is being managed by Shawn Pearson’s Northern Rockies Type II Incident Management Team, with the Incident Command Post located at the Murphy Lake Ranger Station. A fire camp is set up on Ant Flat Road for the 303 personnel working the complex.

Chinook helicopters have been pulling water from Murphy Lake to douse the south, southeast and northwest corners of the Marston Fire. However, due to the thick smoke cover, helicopters were not able to fly at all Monday.

Firefighters continue to work on a fuel break along the fire’s western edge north into Deep Creek.

A detailed evacuation plan is in place for residents living near Laughing Water, Deep and Grave creeks should the fire move that direction. No evacuations are currently in effect.

The Barnaby Fire is burning in very rugged terrain is being monitored from the air.

The Sunday Fire four miles southeast of Stryker is now at 90 percent containment. Officials say there is no longer a threat of evacuation for residents near the fire.