Rain slows fires, but not a season-ending event
A weekend of wet weather helped crews gain ground on multiple wildfires burning across Northwest Montana, although it was far from a season-ending rain event, fire managers said Monday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Matt Jeglum said that between an inch and 1.5 inches of rain fell in the vicinity of the Boulder 2700 Fire east of Polson, "which is quite a bit for this time of year."
He described the rain as wildfire "season-slowing, not season-ending," particularly with more hot and dry weather expected later this week.
By Friday, highs near the fire will rebound into the 90s with relative humidity near 20%, Jeglum said.
"That's definitely going to be conducive to fire behavior," he added.
Minimal fire behavior was observed over the weekend, with smoldering pockets of heat in the northeast area of the fire on the Mission Mountains, and scattered smoke observed elsewhere.
The fire was estimated at 2,072 acres with 31% containment.
Long-term fire analyst Todd Erdody said fine fuels like grass and twigs can dry out in just a few days.
"We're not out of the woods yet," he said. "Barring any future precipitation events, we could still see this fire flare up."
The Lake County Sheriff's Office on Monday allowed residents along Montana 35 to reenter properties near mile marker 11 up to mile marker 13.5 near Blue Bay. Mission Valley Power is still working to restore electricity to the area.
The area directly affected by the fire between mile markers 9 and 11 remains evacuated due to post-wildfire hazards. Dozens of structures were burned in the area when the fire jumped the highway Aug. 1.
Residents between mile markers 6 and 9 can receive a reentry permit at the Finley Point checkpoint on Montana 35 south of the fire.
The highway remains closed in both directions from Polson to Blue Bay.
No boats are allowed on Flathead Lake from Boulder Creek on the north to Station Creek on the south and a half mile out from the shoreline.
NO ADDITIONAL fire growth was reported on the Hay Creek Fire west of Polebridge after an inch of rain fell over the North Fork area on Sunday, officials said.
The fire was estimated at 2,894 acres with 23% containment.
Even with the rain, some parts of the fire continued to burn. Fire activity was expected Monday in more sheltered areas that received less moisture, and in areas where heavy fuels are still holding heat.
A community meeting is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday at Sondreson Hall.
LIGHT RAIN and cooler temperatures also were reported Sunday on the Thorne Creek Fire near Thompson Falls.
That fire has burned nearly 22,000 acres and was listed at 15% contained. It is moving southeast toward the Thompson River.
The Burnt Peak and South Yaak fires near Troy saw only scattered rain over the weekend, with precipitation falling on isolated portions of the fires.
The Burnt Peak Fire had burned about 3,560 acres, and the South Yaak was estimated at 10,388 acres.
