Sheep Fire closes Highway 2

The Sheep Fire near Essex has closed U.S. Highway 2 in the Essex area. The Fire has moved about 1 mile from the highway and river corridor necessitating this closure, fire managers say.

Flathead County Sheriff and Montana Department of Transportation are in the process of implementing the closure.  This is not an evacuation of Essex, however.

The closure will be from milepost 178 to 185. This is at the Halfway Motel  near Pinnacle on the west side and Bear Creek on the east side.

Glacier National Park has closed down the Goat Lick parking area and the Walton Ranger Station. Burlington Northern Santa Fe has set up water tank cars near the tracks and is taking protective measures, like putting sprinkler systems, on its wooden railroad trestles.

The town of Essex is still under a pre-evacuation notice and the fire has the potential to cross U.S. Highway 2 if winds develop. Essex is actually east of the fire away from prevailing winds, but there is concern about downslope winds and canyon winds pushing the blaze toward the 70 homes and structures in the area.

A vigorous cold front is expected to sweep across the region tomorrow, which could bring showers and thunderstorms, but also high winds.

The National Weather Service in Missoula said higher terrain, above 6,500 feet could see a trace to three inches of snow and up to a .5 inch of precipitation. Lower elevations should see .25 to .2 of an inch near Essex, which should help.

Fire information officer Greg DiNetto said the Sheep fire is now 232 acres. Glacier Park has closed the Fielding Coal Creek Trail, the Elk Mountain Overlook Trail, the Ole Creek Trail, the Park Creek Trail and the Scalplock Lookout Trail. Two Medicine Pass and Firebrand Pass Trails remain open.

The Flathead National Forest has made an area closure around the fire, including the Essex and Bear Creek Boat launches and trails near them, including the Big River Trail (155) to its junction with trail 65.

The Marion Lake, Essex Creek, Sheep-Elk Loop, Java Mountain, Java Creek are closed as well.