Crews respond to fire complex on Spotted Bear
Smoke rises from a wildfire along the Hungry Horse Reservoir. (Flathead National Forest photo)
A dry lightning storm July 29 lit up as many as 17 new wildfires on the Flathead National Forest.
According to a media release from the Flathead Forest on Monday evening, the largest new fires are the Kah Mountain and Bruce fires on the Spotted Bear Ranger District. The two were combined with two smaller starts into the Tin Soldier Complex, estimated at 80-100 acres.
Firefighting crews responded with initial attack and a Type 3 Incident Management Team was ordered.
The Alcove and Stadium Creek fires are in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex. The 0.5-acre Elam Fire is along the West Side Road on the Hungry Horse Reservoir and firefighters constructed containment lines around the perimeter.
The Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District had nine reported fires, one of which was controlled and two were contained, including the 0.10-acre fire near Lion Lake.
The Logan Fire is contained and is approximately 0.10 acre, located in timber with an active timber sale to the south. Aerial resources delivered buckets of water Monday morning, slowing the fire spread in support of the firefighters who successfully constructed containment line around the fire, officials reported.
The Doris Point Fire was estimated at 0.5 acre and was burning on an 80-90% slope in thick timber and vegetation with prevalent large-diameter dead trees. Fire personnel were able to approach the fire on Sunday but the risk to firefighter safety was very high due to the fire’s location.
The Ridge Fire was estimated at 20-30 acres, and was actively backing down toward the Embry drainage in mature timber with dead and down trees and standing dead snags. This was a full suppression fire. Heavy equipment was ordered to support firefighting efforts.
The Abbot Fire was a single tree snag burning less than half a mile from the Ridge fire and was incorporated into the Ridge Fire response strategy.
The Emery Fire is estimated at 0.10 south of the ridge fire and was successfully controlled.
Stage 1 fire restrictions are in place and there are no fire-related area or road closures on the Flathead National Forest.