Sperry Chalet lost in Sprague Fire

At about 6 p.m. Thursday, the main building at the Sperry Chalet was lost to the Sprague Fire, according to the Glacier National Park Facebook page and an update on InciWeb. A group of firefighters that were staged at the Sperry Chalet are still reportedly on site and safe.

The firefighters had an extensive hose lay, sprinkler and pump system installed to protect all of the structures associated with the Sperry Chalet, but the high winds Thursday afternoon pushed the fire to the east. The firefighters, supported by three helicopters, were unable to save the main Sperry Chalet, according to the post.

The Sprague Fire, burning above Crystal Ford on the Gunsight Pass Trail in Glacier National Park, crossed Snyder Creek Wednesday night and stands at about 2,100 acres.

An infrared flight on Tuesday revealed more than 500 acres of growth, primarily on the southeast perimeter.

Fire managers are still protecting other structures at risk, including the Mount Brown Lookout, backcountry cabins and campgrounds, structures in the Lake McDonald area and trail infrastructure such as footbridges.

The Sprague, Snyder, and Lincoln Creek drainages and associated trails, from Lake McDonald Trailhead on the west and Gunsight Pass on the east, are closed, but most of the park, including Going-to-the-Sun Road, remains unaffected.

A TOTAL of 13 new fires, ranging in size from less than an acre to 300 acres, have been reported as a result of lightning strikes on Aug. 29.

At 300 acres, the Cub Creek Fire is the largest and is one of 11 spotted in the Cabinet Ranger District of the Kootenai National Forest near Libby.

Pre-evacuation notices have been issued for residents near the Reader Fire, including those near Little Beaver, Beaver Creek and White Pine.

Pre-evacuation notices have also been issued for residents in the vicinity of the Moose Peak and Miller Creek Fire, including some residences in the East Fisher area.

Two fires have been reported in the Libby Ranger District, both in the Quartz Creek Area. These include the West Fork Fire, estimated at eight acres, and Mount Tom Fire at two acres.

Stage II fire restrictions remain in place for Flathead and surrounding counties.

Though smoke conditions improved slightly for most of the Flathead Valley, officials expect smoke to resettle into low-lying areas as temperatures cool overnight and into the morning hours Friday.

An air quality alert remains in effect for Deer Lodge, Flathead, Granite, Jefferson, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Lincoln, Missoula, Powell and Ravalli counties until 9 a.m. Friday.

Officials advise the public to slow down, turn on your headlights and watch out for people and wildlife should you encounter smoke while driving.

Montana Wildfire Smoke Updates are available on http://svc.mt.gov/deq/todaysair/.

THE TWO wildfires surrounding Eureka, Gibralter Ridge and Caribou, have both been handed over to Type II Incident Teams as of Thursday as the fires continue to grow in size.

The Gibralter Ridge Fire located 7 miles east of Eureka is now at about 6,600 acres, but the 87 firefighters on scene have managed to raise containment to 39 percent.

A spot fire to the east of Grave Creek Road created as a result of flying embers from the main fire has grown since Tuesday, but the exact size of the fire is not currently known.

Fire managers continue to monitor the growth of the now 3,300-acre Caribou Fire located 21 miles to the northeast of Eureka and reaching about a fourth of a mile into Canada. Firefighters are depending on natural and existing barriers around the fire to stop its spread and continue to cooperate with Canadian officials as conditions change. The fire has caused the closure of Basin Yaak Road to Dodge Summit, including Caribou Creek Campground.

DUE TO changes in fire activity, 90 additional residences under threat from the Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake have been put under evacuation warnings.

The fire now stands at more than 33,000 acres and 18 percent containment.

This warning area includes both sides of Montana 83 North, from Tamarack Resort to Bear Grass, extending to Bear Grass Lane, Loon Lane and Camp Creek. Also under an evacuation warning are residents on both the north and south sides of Boy Scout Road to the Fawn Creek intersection. Residents in these areas should be prepared to evacuate on short notice.

In connection with the Rice Ridge Fire, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has issued a temporary closure for most of the Blackfoot-Clearwater Wildlife Management Area due to extreme fire conditions.

The closure applies to all public entry on the Blackfoot-Clearwater WMA in Missoula and Powell counties, south and west of Woodworth Road and a portion west of Highway 83, as posted. Ovando Mountain is the only portion of the WMA that remains open.

EVACUATION WARNINGS for some residents near the Lolo Peak Fire have been lifted as of Thursday.

This includes the Montana 12 corridor from mile marker 24 near and including Arena Drive to the U.S. 93 junction in Lolo.

In the U.S. 93 corridor, the warning was lifted starting at mile marker 79 near and including the Gravel Pit off of Old Highway 93 and the McClain Creek Road north to the Highway 12 junction. The evacuation warning remains in place in the Bear Creek and Elk Creek areas on Highway 12 east of Lolo and in the Highway 93 corridor from McClain Creek Road south to Bass Creek Road.

The Lolo Peak Fire remains at nearly 40,000 acres and 31 percent containment.