People to blame for fires

The fire season may be relatively slow in Northwest Montana, but fire managers are concerned about a recent rash of human-caused fires.

Cooler weather, a lack of lightning and a delayed summer that has kept the landscape green have helped firefighters keep a lid on fires, but regional rainfall has been lagging.

Since Jan. 1, Kalispell has received 8.28 inches of precipitation, 2.42 inches behind the historic average of 10.7 inches through early August.

However, there was a record-low temperature of 34 degrees Thursday, just below the previous record of 35 degrees July 31, 2006.

"Initial attack efforts have been successful, but fire managers across Northwest Montana are concerned about the high number of human-caused fires and the challenge to suppress them as vegetation dries significantly," states a Friday press release from the Northwest Zone of the Northern Rockies Coordination Group.

"For the past week, state and federal firefighters have responded to an average of one human-caused fire each day, and county and local fire departments have responded to several reports on a daily basis."

Abandoned campfires, escaped burns, discarded cigarettes and sparks from chain saws and other combustible engines have started recent fires, the release states.

"The vegetation is drying and we are seeing fires spread quickly," said Lincoln Chute, area coordinator for Flathead County Fire Services.

Chute stressed that no open burning - another source of recent fire starts - is allowed in Flathead County at this time of year.

Fire managers in Lincoln County and on the Kootenai National Forest say that most of their recent fire starts have been caused by people.

"This is the time of year for all of us to be fire-safe," said Janette Turk, fire prevention specialist on the Kootenai National Forest.

The Northwest Zone includes the U.S. Forest Service, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the National Park Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local fire departments.

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