Crews work 50-acre fire in Glacier

The Daily Inter Lake

A forest fire emerged near Red Eagle Lake in Glacier National Park Friday, sending off a smoke plume easily visible from Logan Pass and St. Mary.

A Web camera at St. Mary showed the plume burning at a low elevation near Red Eagle Lake, about six miles southeast of St. Mary.

Melissa Wilson, Glacier's public affairs officer, said the fire was reported from the St. Mary Visitor Center at 1:50 p.m.

Scouting flights were dispatched, and as of late afternoon, it was estimated at about 50 acres, Wilson said.

Smokejumpers were dropped about a mile from the fire and retardant tankers were dispatched.

"We are actively working to suppress the fire," Wilson said.

Elsewhere in Northwest Montana, the Kootenai National Forest closed the Ross Creek Trail in anticipation of high winds stirring up the Little Spar Lake fire, most recently estimated at 65 acres. The fire is in the West Cabinet Mountains, about 20 miles south of Troy.

The lightning-caused fire was spotted Wednesday, and has since attracted about 100 firefighters, including smokejumpers, along with three helicopters and retardant planes.