As forests dry, local fires growing larger

By JIM MANN

The Daily Inter Lake

Firefighters have been putting the pinch on dozens of new fires since thunderstorms swept over Northwest Montana last week, but drying conditions are making fires more volatile and harder to contain.

That has been the case for the Hunter Fire, which was detected Sunday about four miles north of U.S. 2, roughly halfway between Libby and Kalispell.

By Monday afternoon, it was estimated at 75 acres, according to Charlie Webster, fire management officer on the Kootenai National Forest.

"They're getting harder to stop as the little bit of moisture we had goes away," Webster said Monday afternoon. "There's more intense fire behavior, so it's taking more resources to contain them on initial attack."

About 150 people, along with air support, were working on the Hunter Fire by late Monday.

"We struggled with it yesterday, and we're working hard on it today," Webster said. "As hot and dry as it is, we're not taking any chances with these fires."

On Monday afternoon, the ALERT helicopter was sent to the Kenelty Lookout, which is close to the Hunter Fire, to pick up a firefighter who was having "heart trouble," Webster said. "That's all we know about it right now."

Since last Thursday's widespread lightning activity, there have been 90 new fires within the Libby dispatch jurisdiction, including four detected Monday. All but the Hunter Fire have been stopped at small acreages.

The Kalispell interagency dispatch center, based at the Flathead National Forest Supervisor's Office, has responded to 11 new fires since Saturday morning.

All but one was stopped at less than two acres.

"It just seems as things are drying out, they are harder to keep small, especially when we get these afternoon winds coming up," said Dan Cassidy, fire program manager with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

One fire has grown to 30 acres since it was detected Saturday near Young's Mountain, just inside the Bob Marshall Wilderness east of Seeley Lake. There is a "contain and confine" strategy for the Railey Fire, even though it is inside the wilderness, where some fires are allowed to burn.

Denise Germann, the Flathead Forest's public affairs officer, said the Kalispell dispatch has responded to 99 fires so far this season.

But small fires are not responsible for the smoky haze that has settled over the Flathead Valley in recent days. Most of the smoke appears to be drifting in from heavy fire activity in central Idaho, judging from satellite tracking.

Stage One fire restrictions took effect Monday across Northwest Montana. Campfires are restricted to developed campgrounds and other designated areas, and smoking is banned except in vehicles and developed areas.

A full listing of designated sites where fires are allowed is available on the Flathead Forest's Web site, www.fs.fed.us/r1/flathead, through the fire information link:

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