Brush Creek Fire 90 percent contained

Firefighters continued to tighten a ring around the 29,839-acre Brush Creek Fire on the Tally Lake Ranger District, and there was continued progress on the sprawling 96,154-acre Chippy Creek Fire north of Hot Springs on Wednesday.

Several days of cooler temperatures, higher humidities and cloud cover allowed for a variety of tactics aimed at cornering the blazes.

On Brush Creek, efforts have continued to focus on reinforcing firelines on Fox Ridge and Swaney Ridge, which both overlook the populated Good Creek drainage. Firelines are being advanced and backed up with confined burnout operations.

"Once they get that done … they will begin to mop up 300 feet into the black" along those fronts, said Annaleasa Winter, fire information officer.

The fire is considered 90 percent contained, but Winter said it could be active for weeks to come.

"There is a lot of unburned fuel deep in the fire perimeter," she said. "And this stuff will continue to burn … until more significant precipitation falls."

The Flathead National Forest has closed the Good Creek Road, and maintained a closure on the Star Meadow Road, mainly for safety concerns about heavy equipment traffic on the roads.

On the Chippy Creek Fire, continuing favorable weather has allowed firefighters to continue reinforcing lines on north-central and southeastern fronts of the perimeter, where spot fires have been troublesome.

The fire is considered only 30 percent contained, but not all of the unlined areas around the perimeter are threats for substantial growth.

"Because the fire is so wide, there is about 10 miles of fire that doesn't have a line around it and that's quite a bit," said Dixie Dies, fire information officer. "So that's what we are working on."

Firefighters and equipment continue to move off of the 42,215-acre Skyland Fire south of Marias Pass as control tightens around most of the perimeter.

At the peak of fire's activity, there were just more than 1,000 people assigned, but now that number is down to 390.

Mop-up is underway on some fronts, including the western front, where about 23,000 feet of water hoseline is in place to help with the mop-up work.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com