Fire near Lower Thompson burns 50 acres
A helicopter uses a bucket to scoop water from Lower Thompson Lake on Wednesday to douse a wildfire nearby. (Scott Shindledecker/Daily Inter Lake)
Fire crews on Wednesday attacked a new blaze in the Lower Thompson Lake area west of Kalispell.
The Tornilla Creek Fire started July 30 and is estimated at 52 acres, according to the Kalispell Interagency Dispatch Center. The fire is suspected to be human-caused.
It was burning in brush, slash and open timber on Weyerhauser land.
The Pit Fire near Libby was contained July 30 after burning about 7 acres. Kootenai National Forest fire crews were on the scene Wednesday tending to hot spots and ensuring the fire line holds. The fire is located behind the gravel pit one mile up Pipe Creek Road.
The lightning-caused Moss Ranch Fire south of Ronan has transitioned to a Type 4 incident. Resources were being pulled from the scene as crews reached 80% containment on the 5,300-acre blaze.