Firefighters with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) on July 23 responded to reports of a wildfire near Marion, east of Hubbart Dam and south of U.S. Highway 2.
Marion firefighters were first to arrive on the scene shortly after 3 p.m. and initially assessed the fire at 1.5 acres. DNRC dispatched a 10-person hand crew and heavy equipment, as well as four engines and four aircraft. As of 8 p.m., the fire had burned around 10 acres. Fire behavior was reported as creeping, torching and spotting with flames up to 8 feet high.
No structures were threatened as DNRC officials urged the public to avoid the area while firefighting efforts are ongoing.
The DNRC issued a reminder that forests are dry and the fire danger is currently very high. Visit www.mtfireinfo.org to check current fire restrictions across the state and visit the Firesafe Flathead Facebook page for the latest updates.
This story has been updated to reflect a change in the fire’s estimated acreage.