Winds challenge fire crews

The Daily Inter Lake

Firefighters fought to hold lines Saturday when the southwest wind arrived in the afternoon.

It arrived as predicted on the Chippy Creek Fire south of Kalispell. The fire grew by nearly 3,000 acres and was sized at 92,785 acres Saturday night.

"Today what's happened is the red-flag warning hit right on time, about 4 o'clock," fire information officer Jennifer Plyler said. "The winds kicked up, humidity dropped and temperatures were fairly warm."

In the Big Rock Creek area, the fire spotted over the dozer line.

"We've pulled folks off the line," she said. "It's too dang hot to get in there."

The fire also made a run on its northeastern corner, below Moore Ranch Road. Flames stayed within the established dozer line, but crews were pulled off the line for safety reasons.

"The southwest winds, that's what's really giving us a fit," Plyler said. "Those southwest winds are pushing it and testing our containment lines."

Crews continued shoring up the line on the fire's northwest corner. Firefighters had hoped to do burnout operations near the north fork of the Little Thompson River, but high relative humidity prevented them from burning for most of the day. After 4 p.m., crews finally were able to start burnouts.

That area isn't as big a concern as other parts of the fire, Plyler said.

"We're not as concerned because prevailing winds are pushing it back into the fire itself," she said.

Skyland Fire

The Skyland Fire south of Marias Pass made a run Friday evening and burned 160 acres through the southern fireline. By Saturday evening, it was sized at 43,408 acres, about 1,500 acres' growth.

"We continue to be challenged by the southwest winds coming in and pushing against the line," fire information officer Trish Hogervorst said.

"Most of the line is secure; it's just on the south side that we're still having trouble. When the wind shifts, it's a new challenge."

Firefighters spent the day establishing a new fireline to contain the area where the fire burned through the original line. They were able to hold the fire all day, Hogervorst said, but more wind was expected Saturday night.

About 500 firefighters are assigned to the fire, she said. "We have dropped to about half of what we had at the high point."

A Type 2 team from Montana arrives today. It will take over for the Type 1 team, based out of the Pacific Northwest, at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Hogervorst said.

Brush Creek Fire

Crews on the Brush Creek Fire southwest of Whitefish had a successful Saturday but braced themselves for a gusty night, fire information officer Annaleasa Winter said.

"We're having a good day, actually," she said. "We had a very successful day, so far being able to hold it."

Most of the day's work focused on building the fireline between Fox Mountain and Swaney Ridge. Two air tankers and three helicopters did water drops, while dozer and hand crews worked to make the line wider.

"Everything we've got is working on that ridgetop," Winter said. "We're trying to get [the line] as wide as we can as quick as we can."

Although Saturday night's forecast called for increased relative humidity and a slight chance of precipitation, it also predicted gusty winds.

"Hopefully, [the line] will hold," Winter said. "We're hoping to get moisture. That would really, really help."

Evacuation orders at Good Creek and Star Meadow remain in effect.

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