Small wildfires prompt big response in dry conditions

A one-acre wildfire south of Bigfork Tuesday morning prompted responses from multiple fire agencies across the Flathead due to increasingly dry conditions creating a heightened threat of small fires spreading.

According to Ali Ulwelling, a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation fire prevention specialist, the Robins Fire was reported at around 5 a.m. Tuesday and was most likely caused by a lightning strike in the area.

The fire was located east of Montana 35, right on the county line between Lake County and Flathead County. No residential areas were threatened by the blaze.

Fire personnel from Bigfork, Creston and Ferndale fire departments as well as the DNRC and the Swan District of the Flathead National Forest responded to the blaze.

The fire has since been contained but personnel continue to monitor the area in case of a restart.

The smaller Krause Fire, located off Foothill Road near Strawberry Lake, was reported at around 3:30 p.m. on Monday, prompting a response from Creston Fire Department, the DNRC and the Forest Service.

Ulwelling said the Krause Fire was determined to be human-caused and was believed to have started from a burn pile that was extinguished several days ago but re-ignited due to extreme weather conditions.

According to Ulwelling, the potential for rapid fire growth, like that occurring at Seeley Lake and Lolo Peak near Missoula, demands maximum fire preparedness and an immediate, fully equipped response to each report.

The Krause Fire, measured at .04 acres, prompted the use of two helicopters and multiple fire engines and personnel to prevent further spread.

Ulwelling said the absence of any precipitation in the Flathead Valley for the last 55 days combined with record lows in fuel moisture means even the smallest spark has devastating potential.

All of Western Montana is currently under extreme fire danger status for the first time in years with Stage 2 fire restrictions in place across most of the state.

Campfires are strictly prohibited, and, with increasingly unpredictable weather conditions raising the potential for lightning-caused fires, Ulwelling said human-caused fires are fully preventable and present a waste of time and resources that are needed elsewhere.

She said that with conditions as dry and dangerous as they are, every time a campfire is reported, the immediate response is two helicopters, two fire engines, a fixed-wing aircraft and multiple personnel.

“There’s a reason we are under restrictions,” she said.

Ulwelling encourages residents to pay attention to the restrictions in place and take the current fire conditions seriously to avoid putting unnecessary strain on firefighting resources.

Reporter Mary Cloud Taylor can be reached at 758-4459 or mtaylor@dailyinterlake.com.