Firefighters responded to three more fires on the Kootenai National Forest on Aug. 6 as law enforcement officials are asking the public to help find the suspected arsonist.
The fires are the latest in a string of human-caused blazes in the Libby area. Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe said there have been at least 15 human-caused fires since May 15, including five in August.
“All the fires have been close to town or near neighborhoods, and with the type of summer we’re having right now, it’s a big concern,” he said.
Hot, dry conditions have led to several fires throughout the region this summer. Stage 1 fire restrictions remain in effect in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, and Sanders counties. This includes all private, state, and federally (USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) managed lands in these counties.
On Aug. 6, the U.S. Forest Service and Libby Volunteer Fire Department responded to three fires along Lost Treasure Road, Bobtail Cutoff Road and Blue Creek Road all between 6:30 and 8:23 p.m. All three fires remain under investigation. Bowe said the sheriff’s office has received some leads but authorities still have no suspects.
In hopes of gaining more information, authorities utilized the “Code Red” reverse call system to ask the public for help.
Anyone with possible information regarding the fires is encouraged to call the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at (406) 293-4112.
The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is also looking into three human-caused fires that started along Black Lake Road near Eureka between 11 p.m. Aug. 5 and 1:30 a.m. Aug. 6. The fires in Eureka do not appear to be related to the rash of fires in Libby.