Firefighters called to new fires
<p>A tree torches during a burnout operation Friday on the South Fork Lost Creek Fire.</p>
<p>A smoke plume rises from a burnout operation Friday on the South Fork Lost Creek Fire.</p>
<p>A helicopter carries a helitorch Friday to ignite a burnout on the South Fork Lost Creek Fire.</p>
<p>Firefighters Joe Brenneman, River Mallery, John Klippel and Carl Strand head into deep brush in the Lake Blaine area Monday morning as they look for a fire that had been spotted from the sky. The smoke was the result of a slash pile burn.</p>
Fire crews scrambled Monday to two new fires near the Flathead Valley: one north of Whitefish and one southwest of Tally Lake.
One new wildfire is in the Stillwater State Forest at the junction of Fitzsimmons Creek and the Stillwater River.
The fire was reported to at about 12:30 p.m. and estimated at six acres shortly after that.
Within several hours the fire had grown to an estimated 25 acres, according to Brian Manning, manager of the Stillwater State Forest. Later in the night it had grown to 60 acres.
"We have a lot of people headed that way," Manning said Monday evening.
"There's engines there, at least one helicopter there and another one on its way, two hot shot crews either there or on the way, and some additional engines on the way," Manning said.
The Fitzsimmons Fire is burning on steep ground between two avalanche chutes with a lot of fuel above if it keeps growing, Manning said.
"It's windy and dry today and there's a lot of potential for growth ... We're going to hope for the best and work hard on it."
Elsewhere, about six initial attack firefighters responded to a fire that was less than two acres southwest of Tally Lake, but it was enough of a handful for a helicopter and a 20-person crew to be called in to help.
Firefighters on Monday morning also responded to a burning slash pile north of Lake Blaine.
The largest new fire in Western Montana was near Bonner.
As of 10 p.m. Monday, the wind-driven West Riverside Fire had covered 1,500 acres in a rapid run through grass, shrubs and timber.
According to the website Inciweb.org, fire managers have ordered additional resources for Tuesday, including three heavy airtankers and an additional helicopter (two already are working on the fire),.
Because the fire is readily visible from I-90 and throughout the Missoula Valley, the public is urged to use caution when traveling through the area.
Meanwhile, the South Fork Lost Creek Fire burning southeast of Swan Lake was mostly quiet, growing from 1,101 acres Sunday to 1,215 acres Monday.
Predicted winds had not materialized as of early Monday evening and crews worked through the day while the fire showed very little activity, according to updates on a fire information website.
The number of personnel working the South Fork Lost Creek Fire decreased from 140 to about 40 on Monday, and the total response cost was revised down from $1.7 million to $1.3 million, said Pat Cross, a fire information officer with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
"We're just hoping there won't be as many people left here tomorrow. If this thing behaves we won't have to ramp up again," Cross said Monday.
Two wildfires burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness also were quiet Monday.
The Big Salmon Lake Fire hit 2,800 acres Monday, up from 2,700 acres Sunday. The Hammer Creek Fire grew to 1,350 acres, up from 1,250 acres Sunday.