Fire near Big Arm roars to 9,700 acres
<p>Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake Lake County Sheriff's deputies watch as The West Garceau Fire burns approximately 2,000 acres Tuesday evening near Big Arm. Fifteen people from the Irvin Flats area were evacuated and are currently staying at the Big Arm Fire Station. Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in Big Arm, Montana.</p>
<p>This 10-second exposure shows the red glow of The West Garceau fire burning Tuesday night near Big Arm.</p>
<p>Patrick Cote/Daily Inter Lake A fire truck leaves The West Garceau Fire Tuesday evening near Big Arm. Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012 in Big Arm, Montana.</p>
A fast-moving fire that began Monday night southwest of Big Arm grew to more than 9,700 acres by Wednesday afternoon.
The Garceau Fire prompted the evacuation of 15 people from two homes in the Irvine Flats area, according to Devlin Lafrombois, a fire information officer for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes.
All those evacuated were allowed to return home as weather slowed fire activity on Wednesday.
The fire first was reported just before 6 p.m. Monday. It began on private land and then spread to tribal land.
The fire is burning 5 to 6 miles southwest of Big Arm and 5 to 6 miles northeast of Hot Springs, Lafrombois said.
Firefighters from the tribes and the Polson and Hot Springs rural fire districts, along with aerial resources, are battling the fire.
The aerial effort included two heavy helicopters, three heavy air tankers and two single-engine air tankers, Lafrombois said.
A total of 50 firefighters are involved in battling the Garceau Fire. Firefighting efforts are based at the Polson airport.
A Type 2 management team is expected to take over firefighting efforts today.
The fire began in grasslands and sagebrush and then moved into timber before burning back into grasslands.
The fire put out a substantial plume of smoke visible from across the Flathead Valley on Tuesday.