Wilderness blazes erupt
A plume of smoke from a wildfire in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area rises over the Swan Range on Saturday afternoon. Chris Jordan/Daily Inter Lake
Smokejumpers and Forest Service firefighters have been responding to two fires totaling several hundred acres and burning out of control Saturday night in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, according to deputy forest fire management officer Seth Carbonari of the Flathead National Forest. Both fires were initially spotted early Saturday afternoon.
The Kelly Point Fire started on South Fork of the Flathead River, one mile north of Black Bear Cabin. Carbonari said it was suspected to be "person-caused."
"Right now we're at 300 acres," he said. "More than likely it will get larger than that."
The wildfire first consumed 20 acres on the west side of the river and then jumped to the east side. On Saturday night it was continuing to spread east up Hodag Creek Drainage.
"We're unable to get in
there and get a good size estimate because it's still growing and it's pretty smoky in there," Carbonari said.
"Our highest priority is public safety and at this time nobody's safety is being threatened. We don't think anybody's in there."
Ten smokejumpers from West Yellowstone and 10 firefighters from the Spotted Bear Ranger District were working hard late Saturday at structure protection on the Black Bear Cabin, a Forest Service facility used as a summer work center.
After securing the cabin, Carbonari said the crews would be deployed to the fire on the west side of the river and that additional resources would soon be called in. A Forest Service helicopter has been on the scene since Saturday afternoon.
"To the north and to south, we already have barriers from previous wildland-use fires in 2000 and 2003, but we are doing some trail closures for public safety as well," he said.
The second fire - the Limestone Peak Fire - is believed to have been caused by a lightning strike and is located east of Spotted Bear.
"We're going to use modified suppression tactics on this one because of its remote location and difficult access," Carbonari said. "There're a lot of natural barriers we're going to use instead of going to full suppression.
"We're definitely monitoring it now [Saturday night] and plan to take action on it, but we don't have anyone on it yet. It's in the area of 10 acres, but it is definitely growing."
When asked where the additional manpower would be coming, Carbonari said he had "no idea at this time."
Trail Closures effective Saturday night.
Trail #80 from Meadow Creek Trailhead to Salmon Forks.
Trail #263 from Black Bear Creek to Little Salmon.