Evacuations lifted as fires settle down

Governor calls for special legislative session for additional firefighting funding

By RICHARD HANNERS

Whitefish Pilot

Cooler weather, less wind and a smidgen of precipitation over the past two weeks may have helped firefighters get a handle on wildfires that forced evacuations and burned hundreds of square miles of bone-dry forest land across Northwest Montana.

The evacuation order for Good Creek was lifted at 4 p.m. on Monday after the Brush Creek Fire was declared 100 percent contained on Sunday. The evacuation order for Star Meadow was lifted Aug. 19.

One month after lightning ignited timber west of the Brush Creek Divide on July 26, nearly 30,000 acres had burned across the Flathead and Kootenai forests.

Nearly 400 federal firefighters were still on the job, patrolling the lines and conducting mop-up operations until the fire perimeter is cool 300 feet from the edge. Cost to date is $13.8 million.

Although the 99,090-acre Chippy Creek Fire 26 miles southwest of Kalispell remained 75 percent contained, with the hottest areas at its northwest perimeter, Sheriff Mike Meehan announced Monday that the evacuation order for all Hubbard Dam area residents had been lifted.

Despite red-flag warnings and winds reaching 45 mph, fire lines held. Federal firefighting crews continued burnout operations to straighten out fire lines and prevent the fire from spreading further.

The fire began July 31 about 12 miles north of Hot Springs. With 637 firefighters assigned to the fire, the cost of fighting the Chippy Creek Fire — the largest fire in Northwest Montana history since the 1929 Half Moon Fire — has topped $11.7 million.

The Skyland Fire was ignited by lightning on July 23 and burned up and over Marias Pass as strong easterly winds fanned flames 12 miles toward the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. With homes in its path and wind-blown embers threatening Glacier National Park, the Skyland Fire at one point was a No. 1 national priority wildfire.

By Monday, however, the 45,760-acre fire was about 70 percent contained and no longer threatening the community of Heart Butte.

High winds on Sunday intensified fire activity along the southern perimeter, but fire personnel were able to break away from the Skyland Fire to assist Bureau of Indian Affairs fire crews with an initial attack on the Depot Fire, south of Browning.

About 360 firefighters were assigned to the Skyland Fire, which has cost $17.1 million. U.S. Highway 2 is open with speed restrictions, and crews are mostly assigned to mop-up and rehabilitation functions.

One home has been destroyed by the Jocko Lakes Fire, which grew to nearly 35,000 acres by Monday. Residents in the Placid Lake area south of Seeley Lake were allowed to return to their homes on Aug. 22.

More than 1,000 firefighters were still on the scene and had the fire about 40 percent contained. The cost was estimated at $21.6 million — the most expensive wildfire in Northwest Montana.

Just north of Missoula, the 11,715-acre Black Cat Fire was about 50 percent contained, but fire crews were busy with more than 40 spot fires on Sunday.

One-hour evacuation orders for residents of the area between Evaro Hill and Frenchtown were lifted on Monday. The lightning-caused fire had closed U.S. Highway 93 several times after it was first spotted on Aug. 14.

Meanwhile in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex, about 157 firefighters continued to work on the Fool Creek Fire, which had burned more than 56,000 acres and was 15 percent contained. The Fool Creek Fire was started by lightning about 35 miles west of Choteau on July 4 and has cost about $5.1 million.

Further south, the Ahorn Fire had burned more than 47,000 acres and was 10 percent contained. The Ahorn Fire was started by lightning about 35 miles west of Augusta on July 11 and has cost about $13.4 million.

This year's fires have burned less than half the number of acres burned in 2006. The state paid $37 million for firefighting last year and is looking at an estimated $32 million so far this year. The fire season is not over.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer called for a special legislative session on Monday to address firefighting funding. He said he will request an additional $55 million for this year's fires. The legislature this year put $16 million in an emergency fund that includes money for firefighting, but Schweitzer had asked for $25 million.

For more fire information on Montana's wildfires, visit online at www.inciweb.org.