Blue Bay Fire makes run

A wildfire burning east of Flathead Lake flared up Wednesday night, sending up a plume of smoke visible from Kalispell.

The lightning-caused Blue Bay Fire started Aug. 10 on the Flathead Indian Reservation. The fire began making a significant uphill run Wednesday and is now at approximately 200 acres. It is burning in timber along steep, rugged terrain less than a mile above Montana 35 near the Blue Bay and Eastshore communities along the lake.

Lake County Disaster Emergency Services issued pre-evacuation notices to these areas Aug. 12. The notice is intended to ready residents for an evacuation if necessary. The fire was not directly threatening any homes as of Thursday, but it is threatening commercial timber assets.

Aircraft, including five helicopters and four single-engine air tankers, was being used Thursday to support firefighters constructing handlines. Heavy equipment was also on the scene to improve roads to be used to protect structures. They are also improving the 2005 Road that connects to a dozer lines at the bottom of the fire. Firefighters are focusing their efforts at the bottom of the hill to keep the fire above the B-2000 Road.

The Blue Bay Fire is one of many that continue to burn across Northwest Montana.

The Sprague Fire burning on the west side of Glacier National Park is now at 200 acres. The Gunsight Pass Trail from Lake McDonald to Gunsight Pass, including all secondary trails such as the Snyder Lake and Mount Brown Trail, and the Lincoln Lake Trail remain closed.

The Tamarack Fire burning west of Kalispell and north of the Thompson Lakes area along U.S. 2 is at 340 acres with 20 percent contained. Helicopters filling up a Lynch Lake were able to prevent the fire from moving significantly on Wednesday.

The Peoples Creek Fire east of Libby is at 77 acres and is 90 percent contained. Fire crews were beginning to mop up on Wednesday.

The Gibralter Ridge Fire east of Eureka is now 2,548 acres and is 12 percent contained. About 450 firefighters are on the scene.

A red flag warning was issued for Friday across Western Montana. Warm temperatures and stronger winds with gusts around 20 mph are expected as a dry cold front moves across the region.

Peak winds are expected between 6 to 9 p.m. today.