Deep Draw Fire grows
Mary Granger and Bill Brass, both of Lakeside, are reflected in a car-door mirror while viewing the Deep Draw Fire from the shoulder of Montana 28 near Elmo on Sunday afternoon. Granger, who works for the Quick Response Unit in Lakeside, and Brass, captain of the Somers Fire Department, drove out to the fire Sunday to observe it. Garrett Cheen/Daily Inter Lake
The Daily Inter Lake
Blaze began Friday
Firefighters continued to battle the 600-acre Deep Draw Fire on Montana 28, about three miles west of Elmo, on Sunday.
Wind gusts of as strong as 40 mph caused flames to jump across the fire line Sunday, leaving the main blaze and a nearby 30-acre fire uncontained Sunday. The fire covered about 400 acres Saturday.
The terrain filled with rattlesnakes has hampered firefighters, said Rich Janssen, spokesman for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Fire Department.
Other American Indian fire forces, plus Polson and Ronan firefighters also are battling the flames, which have not burned any homes.
The fires began Friday evening with lightning strikes.