Clouds, attackers limit fire

The Daily Inter Lake

Cloud cover and a continuing heavy attack Wednesday kept the Deep Draw Fire in check west of Elmo.

But the fire was last estimated at 1,400 acres, with most of the growth Tuesday attributed to a burnout operation and to creeping growth on parts of the fire perimeter where firefighting efforts are not concentrated, fire information officer Pat Cross said.

A Confederated Salish-Kootenai press release Tuesday incorrectly reported that a nearby fire, Deep Draw II, was 500 acres. That fire is actually only 50 acres.

"It's been a good day. We've had this cloud cover and higher humidities," Cross said. "There was no real fire activity [Wednesday afternoon] and normally at 3 o'clock it starts to get carried away."

Firefighting has been on the northeastern perimeter, to prevent the fire from burning into a drainage called Deep Draw.

A heavy air attack continued Wednesday, led by "Super Scooper" planes that have been skimming Elmo Bay on Flathead Lake for water drops on the fire.

Just over 340 people were working on the fire, with 17 engines, dozers, three helicopters and other equipment.

Meanwhile, firefighters continued to chase smoke in the Flathead area. A Tuesday start in the McMannamy Draw area was stopped at less than an acre. Firefighters responded to several more starts Wednesday, including one on the Swan Mountain Range about two miles east of Lake Blaine.