Two fires deep in the Bob Marshall Wilderness continued to burn Friday afternoon as the U.S. Forest Service worked to protect structures within the Flathead National Forest, as well as maintain access to areas on the west side of the South Fork.
As of Friday afternoon the Big Salmon Lake Fire was measured at 2,300 acres and the Hammer Creek Fire had burned 1,100 acres, according to Flathead National spokesperson Melissa Wilson. Meanwhile, near Swan Lake, the South Fork Lost Creek Fire remained stable at 708 acres on Friday afternoon and firefighters planned on doing a back burn to prevent it from spreading further, according to fire information officer Clare Delaney.
Firefighters also doused three new spot fires on the Flathead National Forest.
Wilson said on Thursday afternoon the Hammer Creek Fire jumped the banks of the South Fork and smokejumpers and helicopters were dispatched into the wilderness to fight spot fires. On Friday these fires were being mopped up.
Temperatures were supposed to remain in the 80s over the weekend and the fires would likely remain active.
On Friday morning, Gov. Brian Schweitzer was scheduled to fly over the fires in the Flathead area. In the rest of the state, fires were reported near Stevensville, Phillipsburg and on the Crow Reservation.