100-acre fire burning near Swan Lake

A new 100-acre fire sent smoke high above the Swan Mountain Range Saturday.

The South Fork Lost Creek Fire, just southeast of Swan Lake in the Flathead National Forest, was at 100 acres as of Saturday afternoon, according to a website for the Kalispell Interagency Dispatch Center.

Meanwhile, the Hammer Creek Fire expanded significantly as low relative humidity allowed the lightning-caused blaze to spread over 140 acres.

The fire, which was discovered Aug. 8, covered about 62 acres as of Friday.

It’s located in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area on the Spotted Bear Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest and is predicted to continue growing today.

The fire’s growth has prompted officials to close the East Side Trail No. 80 from the junction of the Lime Creek Trail just north of Big Prairie Ranger Station to White River Park near the Holbrook Ford.

 Additional resources have been requested to prevent the spread of the fire on the west side of the South Fork of the Flathead River.

The fire is being monitored by firefighters in the air and on the ground.

All visitors are encouraged to contact the Spotted Bear Station at 758-5346 prior to beginning any backcountry trips.