Fires cast haze across Flathead

A 400-acre fire near Big Arm - which cast a pall of smoke across Flathead Lake Saturday afternoon - is burning on timberland owned by the Salish and Kootenai Tribes.

The Urban Flats fire began around 11 a.m. Saturday in a private hay field but quickly spread to timber owned by the tribe, said Rich Janssen, tribal fire information officer. The fire is burning about 3 miles south of Flathead Lake, directly south of Big Arm State Park.

The fire was human-caused, Janssen said, but specific details about its origin are unknown at this time. The fire was largely wind-driven.

"The afternoon winds are very squirrelly, so that makes it very difficult to get any fire under containment," he said.

Dozers surrounded about half the fire Saturday evening. Six engines from the tribes, Polson Rural Fire Department and Fish, Wildlife and Parks were combating the blaze. A water tender, a type 3 helicopter conducting bucket drops and three heavy air tankers with retardant from Missoula were also on scene.

Two type one and two type two crews were scheduled to arrive this morning, adding 80 firefighters. An additional six tenders were expected as well.

There is a road block in place at the intersection of Walking Horse Lane and Buff Bridge Road, but no roads are closed at this time.

Also contributing to the smoking conditions on Flathead Lake is the 35-acre Welcome Springs fire burning near Hot Springs.

The Red Eagle fire near St. Mary gained more than 100 firefighters Saturday, bringing total personnel to 590. Most of these people were sent to the east side of the fire, where suppression efforts continue.

The 27,000-acre fire is estimated at 50 percent containment.

"The staffing, combined with favorable weather today, resulted in excellent progress toward our containment objectives," said Karen Semple, fire information officer.

Rehabilitation on interior dozer lines is expected to begin today, as is grading on interior logging roads.

The 35 mph speed limit on U.S. 89 south of St. Mary through the fire zone is still in effect and is being enforced, Semple said. Drivers are not allowed to stop along the highway except in gravel turnout areas.

Hiking into the burn area is prohibited, Semple added.

"There are hundreds of acres and it's still smoldering," she said.

So far, the total cost of the fire is more than $2.5 million.

The Little Spar Lake fire, which started two weeks ago about 20 miles south of Troy in the West Cabinet Mountains, was 100 percent contained Saturday evening. Its final size was 83 acres.

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or by e-mail at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.