These wildfire updates prioritize the latest information on incidents that could impact public health and safety. This is not a comprehensive list of fires burning in the state. The fires we report on will vary as information changes.
Harris Mountain Fire
Updated August 6, 5:50 p.m.
Location: 7 miles southeast of Cascade
Size: 31,460 acres
Containment: 23%
Evacuation orders and warnings: The Cascade County Sheriff has lifted evacuation orders for Austin Lane, Sheep Creek Lane and Sheep Creek Road. Residents may now return to these locations.
Evacuation orders remain in place for residents living on Adel Road south of the intersection with the West Hound Creek Road and Cannon Lake Lane. A pre-evacuation notice is in place for Novak Creek lane.
Cause: Lightning
Conditions: A trough of low pressure moving across Montana today will continue the chance for showers and thunderstorms. Temperatures will rebound slightly on Saturday with a slight chance of showers and increasing westerly winds.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7719/
West Lolo Complex
Updated August 6, 5:45 p.m.
Location: West Lolo Complex includes the Thorne Creek Fire, near Thompson Falls
Size: 19,100 acres
Containment: 15%
Evacuation orders and warnings: All residences east/northeast from Allen Ranch south along Blue Slide Road to the intersection of the BPA power lines, following the power lines through Ashley Creek to the Thompson River are under evacuation orders. All residences to the west of Allen Ranch south along Blue Slide Road to the intersection of Highway 200, on the west side of the Clark Fork River are under pre-evacuation warnings.
Conditions: A Red Flag Warning is in effect through midnight tonight to highlight critical fire weather impacts from lightning and outflow winds.
Clouds and cooler temperatures will moderate humidity on Friday with additional cooling and increased humidity expected Saturday and Sunday. West winds could be breezy to windy at times Friday through Sunday with strongest winds likely to impact ridgetops and exposed areas on Saturday.
Cause: Lightning
Meetings: A West Lolo Complex Community Meeting will be held on Saturday, August 7, at 6 p.m. in Ainsworth Park, 200 Lincoln Street, Thompson Falls, MT. This is an outdoor setting where social distancing is encouraged.
More fire information:https://www.facebook.com/WestLoloComplex
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7620/
Granite Pass Complex
Updated August 6, 5:30 p.m.
Complex Location: 35 miles southwest of Missoula
Complex includes:
Shotgun Fire: on the Powell Ranger District located seven miles north of Powell Junction on Highway 12.
Boulder Creek Fire: 8 miles west of Lolo Pass Visitor Center.
BM Hill Fire: ten miles north of Powell Junction.
Lolo Creek Fire: located between mile marker 1 and 2 along the Highway 12 corridor about 1 mile west of Highway 12, and 1.5 miles northwest of the Lolo Pass Visitor Center
Complex Size: 5,739 acres
Containment: 4%
Evacuation orders and warnings: The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office has placed an evacuation warning from mile marker 10 on U.S. Highway 12 to mile marker 0 at the Idaho border. Residents in this area should be ready to leave immediately if an evacuation order is issued.
Major closures: Highway 12 is open but officials ask travelers to not stop along the road.
Conditions: Weather over the region will cause cooler, breezy weather the next few days. Humidity will remain relatively high through the weekend with cooler temperatures in the upper 60s to low 70s. A wet cold front will move through the fire area.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7653/
https://www.facebook.com/GranitePassComplex/
American Fork Fire
Updated August 6, 1:13 p.m.
Location: 24 miles SW of Harlowton, MT
Size: 17,537 acres
Containment: 10%
Evacuation orders and warnings: A pre-evacuation warning remains in place for residences in the Shields River Road area.
An evacuation order for Smith Creek subdivision was issued by the Meagher County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday, 7/31. If evacuated residents of the Smith Creek Subdivision need access to properties, residents must have express, written permission from the Meagher County Sheriff’s Office or Park County Sheriff’s Office per county of residence. Requests must be made in person.
Major closures: Custer-Gallatin National Forest Closure maphere.
Conditions: Red Flag Warning is in place in the region Friday as dangerous conditions are possible due to strong, erratic winds along with new fire starts. Thunderstorms are forecast.
Meetings: A Community Meeting will take place tonight at 6 p.m. at the football field at White Sulphur Springs School. Meeting will take place face-to-face, via ZOOM, or on Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/HLCNF/
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7681/
Balsinger Fire
Updated August 6, 10:50 a.m.
Location: About 5 miles west of Neihart
Size: 9,824 acres
Containment: 26%
Evacuation orders and warnings: The Cascade County Sheriff has issued an evacuation order for Belt Park. A pre-evacuation order has been issued for the area from the Belt Creek Ranger Station to Monarch and from west of Monarch to the confluence of Pilgrim Creek and Belt Creek.
Major closures:
Conditions: Red Flag Warning is in place in the region Thursday as dangerous conditions are possible due to strong, erratic winds along with new fire starts. Thunderstorms are forecast
Cause: Lightning
Meetings: A community meeting will be held Thursday August 5th at 7 p.m. at the Monarch Fire Station.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7719/
Gatlin Gulch Fire
Updated August 6, 9:44 a.m.
Location: 6 miles southwest of Boulder, MT
Size: 52 acres
Containment: 25%
Conditions: A Red Flag Warning is in place for gusty outflow winds in excess of 40 miles per hour and frequent lightning in the area of the fire. A slight chance of precipitation may benefit firefighting efforts Friday.
Cause: Undetermined
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7749/
Goat Fire
Updated August 6, 9:41 a.m.
Location: 11 miles Northeast of Philipsburg, MT
Size: 212 acres
Containment: 30%
Evacuation orders and warnings:
Major closures: The area surrounding the Goat Fire is closed. Fire officials ask if you do not need to access the area, please don’t. The public accessing the area requires firefighting operations to pause for safety reasons, delaying firefighting efforts.
Conditions: A Red Flag Warning is in effect until midnight tonight for projected thunderstorms and winds up to 50 mph.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7694/
Dry Cabin Fire
Updated August 6, 9:43 a.m.
Location: 20 miles north of Ovando
Size: 3,060 acres
Containment: 0%
Major closures: A list of public land closures can be foundhere.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/7660/62604/
Woods Creek Fire
Updated August 6, 10:35 a.m.
Location: 16 miles northeast of Townsend
Size: 20,671 acres
Evacuation orders and warnings: The Meagher County Sheriff's Office has issued an evacuation for the Woods Creek Fire in the following area: Gipsy Creek to Big Birch Creek. A road closure is in effect at mile marker 7 at Birch Creek Road.
Major closures: Forest Service closures can be foundhere.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7649/
Burnt Peak Fire
Updated August 6, 10:27 a.m.
Location: About 9 miles southwest of Troy
Size: 3,465 acres
Containment: 46%
Evacuation orders and warnings: Residences in North Fork Keeler Creek have been placed in the Set category, on pre-evacuation notice. All area residents should be ready to leave if evacuations are necessary.
Major closures: Forest service in the area can be foundhere.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7619
Boulder 2700 Fire
Updated August 6, 10:00 a.m.
Location: Mission Mountains east of Flathead Lake and 9 miles east of Polson.
Size: 1,922 acres
Containment: 0%
Evacuation orders and warnings: There is an evacuation order in place for residents along Highway 35 from Mahoon Lane to mile marker 13 on the east side of Flathead lake. The Finely Point area remains in stage 2 evacuation status, meaning residents should be prepared to evacuate if fire activity increases.
Finley Point residents located south of Mahood Lane are allowed to re-enter the area. Residents need to receive a vehicle tag prior to re-entry. Tags can be picked up at Hwy 35 Mile Marker 2.5/Turtle Point Road checkpoint (from 6am to 10pm). Residents can request a contractor vehicle tag if needed.
Electricity has been restored to properties north of the fire area.
Major closures: Highway 35 is closed in both directions from Polston at the Highway93/35 junction to Blue Bay mile marker 15. This closure includes the shoreline and access by watercraft.
Cause: Unknown
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7754/
South Yaak Fire
Updated August 6, 9:45 a.m.
Location: 4 miles northwest of Troy
Size: 10,153 acres
Containment: 10%
Evacuation orders and warnings: Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office has mandatory evacuations in place for all residents on East Side Road and Kilbrennan Lake Road. Residences in Pine Creek, 17 Mile Creek, and Sylvanite are on pre-evacuation notice.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7696/
Hay Creek Fire
Updated August 6, 9:45 a.m.
Location: 4 miles west of Polebridge
Size: 2,677 acres
Containment: 18%
Evacuation orders and warnings: All residences east and west of the North Fork Road from Home Ranch Bottoms north to and including Moose Creek Road and the community of Polebridge are under evacuation warnings. Glacier National Park has issued an evacuation warning for the North Fork area of the park north of Logging Creek.
Major closures: National Forest System road and trail closureshere
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7712/
Crooks Fire
Updated August 5, 4:23 p.m.
Location: 8 miles south east of Arlee
Size: 1,000 acres
Containment: 0% as of August 1
Evacuation orders and warnings: None
Major closures: St. Mary’s to the North Forks is closed. The main Jocko Road is closed through the 3000 Rd junction.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7759/
Alder Creek Fire
Updated August 6, 9:50 a.m.
Location: About 7 miles west of Wise River
Size: 11,437 acres
Containment: 10%
Evacuation orders and warnings: The Beaverhead County Sheriff has ordered evacuations on the Southside of Highway 43 from Alder Creek Road to Dickie Bridge and the on the westside of the Scenic Byway from the Wisdom Airport to Harriette Lou Road.
The Beaverhead County Sheriff has issued an evacuation warning for the Alder Creek Community and Highway 43 from mile marker 35 to the county line at mile marker 41.5. This includes Doolittle Creek Road and North Doolittle Creek Road. The Sheriff’s Office says there is a high probability of the need for evacuation in this area.
Major closures: Closures for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Foresthere.
Conditions: Fire potential remains high due to aggressive smoldering and an abundance of available unburned fuels reinforcing the need to use firing operations to burn in the identified sections.
Cause: Unknown
More fire information:https://www.facebook.com/AlderCreekandTrailCreekFires
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7641/
Christensen Fire
Updated August 6, 9:50 a.m.
Location: 12 miles west of Wise River
Size: 8,510 acres
Containment: 0%
Evacuation orders and warnings:
Major closures: Forest Closure Orders are in effect for the fire area, see Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest closures here https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/bdnf/alerts-notices
Conditions: A Red Flag Warning is in place in the region Thursday as dangerous conditions are possible due to strong, erratic winds along with new fire starts. Thunderstorms are forecast
Cause: Unknown
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7702/
Trail Creek Fire
Updated August 6, 9:50 a.m.
Location: 20 miles west of Wisdom, MT
Size: 35,881 acres
Containment: 22%
Major closures: Big Hole National Battlefield is closed. North and South Van Houten, Miner Lakes, Twin Lakes, May Creek and Divide Bridge Campgrounds are closed.
Conditions: Rain showers and lightning remain possible this afternoon, which could produce strong outflow winds in the fire areas today.
Cause: Lightning
More fire information:https://www.facebook.com/AlderCreekandTrailCreekFires
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7634/
Black Mountain Fire
Updated August 6, 9:50 a.m.
Location: 13 miles south of Jackson, MT. 20 miles east of Salmon, ID
Size: 1,042 acres
Containment: 0%
Major closures: Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest closureshere. Salmon-Challis National Forest closureshere.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7691/
Whitetail Creek Fire
Updated August 5, 3:39 p.m.
Location: 8 miles south of Swan Lake in the Whitetail drainage
Size: 320 acres
Containment: 30%
Evacuation orders and warnings: No structures are threatened at this time.
Major closures: Whitetail Creek Road and the southern half of Porcupine Creek road are closed.
Cause: Lightning
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7767/
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