Lolo Peak Fire destroys at least 2 homes

Two homes in the upper Folsom Road area were completely destroyed in the Lolo Peak Fire on Aug. 18 and multiple other structures reportedly have been lost as well, according to the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office. The homeowners from Folsom Road had been evacuated and have been notified of the loss.

The fire has reached a total of more than 31,400 acres under the management of nearly 1,100 firefighters.

Evacuations for residents on Sleeman Creek Road have been downgraded to a warning, and residents of that street may now return to their homes.

Other evacuation warnings and orders for the Montana 12 corridor remain in place, and residents of the area are advised to stay alert as conditions can change rapidly with fire behavior.

Montana 12 has reopened to through traffic with pilot cars as of 11 a.m. Sunday. Old U.S. 93 remains closed from Rowan Road to Long Avenue to all traffic. Law enforcement will be patrolling all restricted areas.

Residents with addresses between Old Highway 93 South and U.S. 93 can obtain passes at the U.S. 93 and Rowan roadblock to get through the roadblocks and back into their homes.

As of Sunday afternoon, the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office stated that there is still no containment of the fire.

Deputies remind residents that driving on closed roads outside of the pilot car system or failing to comply with the roadblocks are criminal offenses.

A community meeting was held Sunday evening at the Florence Baptist Church to update 260 residents on fire behavior and conditions. The Montana National Guard has been deployed, and more than 150 soldiers are now actively working with firefighters and sheriff’s deputies with evacuation and road closure procedures.

A Red Cross shelter has been erected for evacuees at the University Congregation Church in Missoula and housing for evacuated pets is available at the local animal shelter.

THE GIBRALTER Ridge Fire east of Eureka has grown to more than 3,500 acres.

Pre-evacuations and pre-evacuation warnings for the area remain in effect, but a Type II Incident Team of more than 400 firefighters now have 19 percent (17 miles) of the blaze contained.

The fire is located seven miles east of Eureka and is burning in an inaccessible terrain of timber.

Firefighters completed burning operations Sunday on the south side of the fire, and hand ignition procedures brought the fire to Foothills and Grave Creek Roads.

A public information meeting is scheduled for Tuesday evening at the Lincoln County High School auditorium in Eureka.

THE SPRAGUE Fire in Glacier National Park has now consumed more than 1,100 acres above Crystal Ford on Gunsight Pass Trail.

A Type III Incident Team has taken over management of the fire.

Most areas of the park remain open, including North Fork, Apgar Village, Going-to-the-Sun Road, Granite Park Chalet, Two Medicine, St. Mary, Many Glacier and Goat Haunt.

THE BLUE Bay Fire 10 miles northeast of Polson has reached 480 acres and is now 40 percent contained.

The blaze continues to consume small pockets of unburned trees and vegetation inside the fire’s contained perimeter.

Firefighters are mostly unable to access the area on foot, and containment efforts rely heavily on multiple aircrafts now working to dump water on hot spots and reinforce fire lines.

Nearly 180 firefighters are working on operations in the difficult terrain to keep the fire under control.

THE 407-ACRE Tamarack Fire is now completely surrounded by a fire perimeter as of Sunday.

Fire activity continues but, with a full fire line in place, crews are hopeful that they will be able to contain and manage the fire more efficiently.

Hoses and sprinklers have been implemented around the perimeter to help with mop-up operations.

THE PEOPLE’S Creek Fire is now fully contained and has been put into patrol status. Crews will continue to monitor the area for restarts, but have labeled the incident as closed.

For more information on fires in the area, visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/.

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