Flathead National Forest officials are managing a 1,200-acre wildfire in the Bob Marshall Wilderness, about 18 miles southeast of Condon.
The Cardinal Creek Wildland Fire, which was first reported on Sunday afternoon, is actively burning on the west and north sides of Kid Mountain above Gordon Creek and in the drainage divide between Gordon Creek and Youngs Creek on the Spotted Bear Ranger District.
Several trails in the area have been temporarily closed, including:
Gordon Creek Trail #35 (from Westside Trail #263 to Shaw Creek Trail #212),
Cardinal Creek Trail #506,
Cardinal Peak Trail #136,
Kid Mountain Trail #628,
Pilot Peak (Fossil Mountain) Trail #128, and
Cabin Creek Trail #205.
The fire is burning in heavy timber, according to the forest service officials, with a large amount of down and dead fuels. Smoke from the blaze is from Seeley Lake and Augusta. Recent lightning in the area is the suspected cause of the fire.
For more information on the Cardinal Creek Fire, visit www.inciweb.org.