Montana Wildfire News

Updated and corrected: 5:35 p.m., 07/30/18 Twenty fires have flared up in the Kootenai National Forest, all caused by lightning from weekend storms. Most of the fires are only burning a few acres, but the Davis Fire is now reported at 1,000 acres in size, according to a post on the Kootenai National Forest Facebook page . A fire spokesperson told MTPR Monday afternoon that the Davis fire was only 50 acres.

Wildfire activity was minimal in Montana today, but a fire weather warning is in effect until 9 p.m for the Lolo National Forest area from Drummond through Missoula and to Thompson Falls, including Seeley Lake. Corby Dickerson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service says issuing the warning gives a heads-up for those doing initial attack on wildfires.

UPDATE 6:00 p.m.: The Wawa wildfire is no longer considered a threat to critical sage grouse habitat on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge. Winds have pushed the fire away from grouse habitat and firefighters have taken a more managerial position, allowing it to burn within the control lines the crews put up.

Before firefighters entered the Modified Fire Response Zone of the asbestos-contaminated forest near Libby to suppress the Highway 37 Fire, they donned full-face respirators, and recited a poem. "You ready? When the sunlight strikes raindrops in the air, they act like a prism and form a rainbow. The rainbow is a division of white light into many beautiful colors …"

Update 5:45 p.m. Fire mangers report little activity on the Bacon Rind Fire burning near Big Sky on the Gallatin National Forest. New flights show the fire at 393 acres, up from around 340 acres yesterday, according to the fire's public information officer. Crews are monitoring the fire with an eye on forecasts calling for continued hot, dry weather. Mangers are working on plans for fighting the fire if it moves closer to Highway 191.

The Bacon Rind Fire , detected Friday evening above the Gallatin Canyon about 20 miles south of Big Sky is now being estimated at 202 acres. It was started by a thunderstorm that moved through the area on July 16. It is burning in the Lee Metcalf Wilderness area about two miles west Highway 191, between Bacon Rind and Snowslide Creeks.

Firefighter safety is of particular concern on the Highway 37 Fire north of Libby because of its proximity to a patch of asbestos-contaminated forest. Among the 50 firefighters working the blaze is a group of 10 specially trained responders. They wear respirators and undergo a full body decontamination after digging fire line in a section of forest with high levels of asbestos fibers, a harmful remnant of the old W.R. Grace vermiculite mine.

Highway 37 fire, updated 4:20 p.m. July 20, 2018 A fire near the former vermiculite mine and a section of asbestos-contaminated forest outside Libby is drawing a quick response from crews working to control it. The Highway 37 Fire, spotted Thursday evening about 4 miles north of Libby, quickly grew to about 50 acres today.

A new estimate puts the Reynolds Lake Fire in the Bitterroot National Forest at more than 1,000 acres. Forest spokesman Tod McKay said the fire grew from 10-15 acres yesterday morning to 1,068 acres by the day’s end. It was pushed by 30 mile-per-hour winds.

Fire danger bumped up to “very high” on the Kootenai National Forest Wednesday. Crews are holding the Zulu Fire, burning about 23 miles north of Libby, to 20 acres.