Winds could raise fire activity today

Fire activity was relatively quiet Saturday, with fires in Northwest Montana gaining little ground.

The South Fork Lost Creek Fire, which is burning southeast of Swan Lake, grew just 60 acres from when it was sized Friday afternoon. That is due in part to a burnout operation firefighters conducted Friday, which was used to create a break in front of an active part of the fire.

The burnout strengthened the existing line, which is keeping the fire from spreading south and west, according to officials’ update on a fire information website. The operation increased the fire’s size from 850 to 910 acres.

There are 145 people working on the fire, which is about 35 percent contained, Pat Cross, a fire information officer, said Saturday evening. Full containment is still a long way off.

“This is going to be one of those till-the-snow-flies fires,” he said. “We can monitor it and herd it a little bit, but it’s going to be burning up there in the rocks and higher reaches. ... There are still going to be days when you see quite a bit of smoke coming off there, and we’re prepared for that.

“Until we get a real good few days of rain or a couple feet of snow, it’s going to be up there.”

So far, the fire has cost $1.5 million, Cross said. The blaze has also closed two roads and five trails.

Growth was minimal Saturday on a pair of fires burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

The Big Salmon Lake Fire, burning east of Holland Pass, grew from 2,300 to 2,600 acres. The Hammer Creek Fire was at 1,250 acres Saturday, up from 1,100 acres Friday.

There are about 60 people working on the two fires, which have closed several trails.

The Mud Lake lookout reported the Big Salmon Lake Fire had more active burning Friday night. The fire made runs to the north, and burning materials rolled down and built up to more runs.

The flames quieted down Saturday morning.

“There were heavy smoke inversions until late morning on both,” Spotted Bear District Ranger Deb Mucklow said. “It was quiet — well, relatively. We still have fire, but no big, flashy runs or smoke columns.”

How the fires behave today and Monday depends on whether predicted increased winds blow in.

The forecast “will keep us watching out,” Mucklow said. “Hopefully we won’t see much growth, but it’s one of those unknowns yet.”

“Hopefully the wind won’t hit us too hard,” Cross said. “But we’re bracing for those winds. All the fires are.”

Crews will continue to mop up and “harden that line” on the South Fork Lost Creek Fire, he said. Cross said he expects personnel will start downsizing Monday or Tuesday.

“We’re in pretty good shape up here,” he said. “We hope we can continue that.”