Fire roars back to life near Condon

A wildfire above the Swan Valley that started nearly two months ago — and once seemed to be mostly dormant — has reignited, with highly active fire behavior in recent days.

The Condon Mountain Fire, burning in mostly high-elevation terrain about four miles northeast of Condon, was started by lightning and first detected July 28.

Because of the terrain, fire managers have mostly been using indirect fire lines to contain it. But over the last couple of days, it has been spotting and growing into the Smith Creek drainage to the southeast. It is now sized at 2,396 acres, an increase of 200 acres this week.

The fire had burned actively through much of August, but by Aug. 30 fire activity dropped off significantly and the fire staff totaled a 10-person crew, two engines and one helicopter. The fire at that time covered 1,706 acres.

With the fire’s resurgence, firefighting resources have been ramped up to 100 people with five helicopters and two Super Scooper tankers working to keep the fire from burning downslope toward the Swan Valley.

Also involved in the firefighting effort are excavators, logging equipment and firefighters using water pumps, hose lines and sprinklers.

There are no evacuation orders in effect, but an evacuation plan has been drafted for the Falls Creek area to be implemented if necessary.

Lingering smoke from a host of wildfires in Montana and Idaho has contributed to deteriorating air quality in many parts of Western Montana.

Flathead Valley air quality was declining Thursday as a result of smoke drifting in from distant fires, although it was officially at a “moderate” level.

However, air quality was more dangerous in other places.

According to an afternoon alert from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, air quality was “very unhealthy” in Frenchtown, Missoula, and Hamilton, “unhealthy” in Helena, Butte, Bozeman, Dillon, and West Yellowstone, and “unhealthy for sensitive groups” in the Swan Valley and Libby areas.

High school soccer and football games in Missoula were canceled Thursday due to smoke.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by email at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.