Smoke stems from 24,000-acre fire

With firefighting efforts winding down on the Bierney Creek Fire near Lakeside, most of the smoke that poured into the Flathead Valley over weekend was coming from the 24,000-acre Copper King Fire burning east of Thompson Falls.

Mike Cole, an information officer for the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team assigned to the Thompson Falls fire, said with relatively calm winds through most of the weekend, crews ignited backburns between the fire front and the containment lines to eliminate remaining fuel.

“If we don’t [perform burnout operations], and we get more wind, we’ll be putting up a lot of smoke and the last thing we want is to get another run like we did last week,” Cole explained. “It’s kind of the lesser of two evils.”

The Copper King Fire is still only 15 percent contained, but crews reported little growth in the fire’s overall size over the weekend. Cole noted that most of that increase was from burnouts.

Forty residences remain under evacuation status, and Cole said the fire management team began meeting with residents in the Buffalo Bill Creek area to prepare for the possibility of an evacuation if the next few days of warm weather allows the fire to expand up that drainage.

“That’s pretty much where the next route would be if this thing got up and started making a run,” he said.

A firefighting force of 780 people is working on the Copper King Fire.

About two miles west of Lakeside, the Type 3 team assigned to the Bierney Creek Fire reported 90 percent containment Monday and is set to turn over firefighting efforts to the local Department of Natural Resources and Conservation office today.

Spokeswoman Ali Ulwelling said the team investigating the fire determined it was not a natural fire start, but further details are unavailable as the investigation continues.

The fire grew rapidly after it was first reported Aug. 22, swelling to 60 acres in just a few hours and threatening about 75 structures on the wooded hillside.

By Monday, Ulwelling said all residents had been allowed to return to their homes while firefighters continue to mop up the burn area.

She said the Bierney Creek Fire should serve as an indicator of how dry conditions are in Northwest Montana. Fire season typically extends well into September.