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Firefighters Mop Up Foys Lake Fire

Wildfire torched 45 acres on Tuesday

By Justin Franz
A wildfire burns near Lone Pine State Park west of Kalispell on Oct. 9, 2018. Justin Franz | Flathead Beacon.

Firefighters are mopping up a 45-acre fire that quickly spread near Foys Lake on Tuesday afternoon.

Multiple agencies, including the Smith Valley Fire Department, South Kalispell Fire Department, West Valley Fire Department, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and U.S. Forest Service, responded to the fire on Tuesday afternoon that could be seen from Foys Lake Road and was burning close to the entrance of Lone Pine State Park.

Although the fire was burning close to some homes, no structures were lost.

Ali Ulwelling, a spokesperson for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, said that firefighters responded to an out-of-control debris burn in the same area on Sunday and that it had reignited late Tuesday afternoon.

Lincoln Chute, Flathead County Fire Area Manager, said the incident was a reminder that wildfires can start and spread even in October.

“We can’t just let our guard down come fall,” he said. “We can still get fires late in the year.”