Wildfires calmer, almost contained

By NICHOLAS LEDDEN

The Daily Inter Lake

The smell of burning wood was discernible across the Flathead on Wednesday as rising temperatures drew whispers of smoke from the area's three dwindling wildfires higher into the atmosphere.

Despite the misleading odor, progress was made on the active portions of all three fires while crews begin serious rehabilitation efforts.

The Chippy Creek Fire remained at 99,090 acres Wednesday as containment increased to 80 percent.

The estimated date of containment is Saturday.

Crews worked on the active northeast and southern flanks of the fire, securing line for a cold front expected this weekend and mopping up into the black.

"By doing those two items in the next couple days, we hope, by Sept. 1, we will have full containment," said fire information officer Bernie Pineda.

And if containment is achieved, a cold front expected to move through the area this weekend could end up being more helpful than harmful, despite the wind, he said.

With most of the fire's heat now well into the interior, crews also began focusing their efforts on rehabilitation.

"We have 90 miles of line to put back," said Pineda. "But the rehab is going great. We're getting a lot done."

Firefighters on the Brush Creek Fire observed minimal fire behavior Wednesday, primarily smoldering surface fires.

That fire was contained Monday at 29,921 acres.

Crews continued to mop up hot spots and rehabilitate interior fire line. There was some torching of trees inside the perimeter, but the fire did not grow.

"It's going very good," said fire information officer Ema Braunberger. "We're kind of in suppression and rehab mode. "We're just trying to reduce the effects of fire suppression."

Rehabilitation of fire line prevents erosion and maintains the quality of groundwater, Braunberger said.

There are now 233 people working on the fire, down from 305 Tuesday.

Crews on the Skyland Fire continued patrolling former hot spots and doing mop up Wednesday. Minimum burning occurred, mostly in the interior.

That fire, estimated at 45,760 acres, is 75 percent contained.

Crews spent the week searching for hot spots in stumps and root systems. They also began cutting down hazardous trees along roadways before they are reopened.

Also, cowboys finished rounding up and moving out the remainder of cattle grazing in the Badger Creek area.

Even though the Chippy Creek, Skyland, and Brush Creek Fires are being fought back, Stage Two fire restrictions are still in effect as conditions for wildfire persist.

These restrictions prohibit open flame or campfires, the use of motorized vehicles off designated trails or roads, and allow smoking only in designated areas.

Progress was also made on other wildland fires across northwest Montana on Wednesday. The Ahorn Fire, now at 48,703 acres, is 10 percent contained and the Fool Creek Fire, now at 56,500 acres, is 20 percent contained. Both those fires are in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The Conger Fire, about 20 miles north of Ovando, is 21,000 acres and 0 percent contained. The Jocko Lakes Fire is now 35,070 acres and 55 percent contained, but has almost 1,000 people working on it.