Abandoned campfire now a 103-acre fire

The smell of smoke that filled the air in Plains on Tuesday was due to a large wildland fire that broke out Monday afternoon at the mouth of Siegel Creek off of Montana 135 near the Cascade campground.

The Siegel Fire had covered 103 acres by Tuesday night. 

Officials shut down Siegel Creek Road, Forest Service Road 412, Siegel Creek Mountain Road and Forest Service Road 5572. 

Montana 135 still is open, although signs have been posted urging caution for drivers passing through due to heavy smoke, falling rock and fire equipment activity.

According to Boyd Hartwig, public information officer for the Lolo National Forest, the fire started from an abandoned campfire.

Firefighting crews met rocky and rough terrain up Siegel Creek. 

Hartwig said one issue has been rolling debris.  Due to the steep hillsides, debris will catch on fire and roll down the hill to the bottom and ignite more fires.

Two helicopters spent the majority of Monday evening and throughout the day Tuesday gathering water from the river to dump on the fire. 

A third helicopter and a single-engine air tanker joined the firefighting effort Tuesday. In addition to the helicopters, there were five fire crews with a total of 90 people battling the blaze. 

Three hotshot 20-person fire crews were on the scene along with a 20-person Forest Service crew.

Officials are looking for any information on activity in this area on Saturday night and Sunday morning.

Call the Plains Ranger District Office at 826-3821 with any information pertaining to the fire.

Assisting on the fire are personnel from the Flathead National Forest, the Kootenai National Forest, the Confederated Salish-Kootenai Tribes and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Information on the fire is available online at www.inciweb.org.