Lost Creek Fire now at 520 acres
<p>Kevin Love, left, sprays water over the ground and debris burned by the South Fork Lost Creek Fire as Jamie Poukish works with a shovel to uncover hidden embers.</p>
With the help of dry, warmer weather, the South Fork Lost Creek Fire picked up some steam Tuesday and was sized at about 520 acres by the end of the day.
The human-caused fire started near the South Lost Creek Road Aug. 13, quickly burning uphill into steep, timbered terrain about seven miles southeast of the community of Swan Lake.
Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Public Affairs Officer Pat Cross said the fire was approximately 10 percent contained as of Tuesday at about 6 p.m.
He said 178 people and five helicopters are currently assigned to the fire.
“Today was sort of a transition day between that cooler, moister weather we had yesterday and the dryer trend we’re heading toward,” Cross said.
Teams focused on the south and west flanks of the blaze Tuesday, he said. With the chance of gusts up to 30 miles per hour forecast for today, he said there is a possibility the fire could continue to grow.
“It has the potential to get up and move a little tomorrow,” he said Tuesday.
Since the fire was first reported Saturday, the cost of battling it has swelled to about $700,000.
The fire has also prompted the closure of the Alpine 7 trail from Inspiration Pass to the junction of Trail 396. Trails 86 and 108 are also closed.
In the Bob Marshall Wilderness, meanwhile, the Hammer Creek fire became more active Tuesday but an acreage update was not available late in the afternoon. The fire was sized at 140 acres, burning north of the Big Prairie Ranger Station on the east side of the South Fork Flathead River.
The fire prompted a closure of Trail 80, on the east side of the river, and some suppression actions were necessary on Monday to keep it from crossing to the west side of the river.
While the lightning-caused fire is mostly being allowed to burn for resource purposes in the wilderness, suppression actions will be taken to protect the Big Prairie Ranger Station, a nearby pack bridge, and a trail that parallels the west side of the river.
“We want to maintain access on that west-side trail,” said Melissa Wilson, a public affairs officer for the Flathead National Forest. “One of the goals with this fire is to maintain as many public routes as possible.”