Page 17 - Flathead Beacon // 8.31.16

NEWS
Thompson Falls Fire Heats Up; Crews Wrangle Lakeside Blaze Copper King Fire remains largest wild re in the state, scorching more than 24,000 acres near Thompson Falls
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
While Labor Day Weekend may signal the end of summer, re ghters across western Montana are still busy with blazes from the Bitterroot to the Flathead.
The Copper King Fire near Thompson Falls remains the largest wild re in the state, having scorched more than 24,700 acres by Aug. 29. The re was 15 percent con- tained and more than 780 personnel were busy trying to build a re line around the blaze, which is burning in Lolo National Forest just north of Montana Highway 200.
“It’s going to be a hot and dry week,” said Fire Infor- mation O cer Mike Cole with the Type I Incident Man- agement Team. “This re isn’t going to go away anytime soon.”
Cole said re ghters were having a hard time battling the blaze because of its location in steep and rocky ter- rain. O cials are especially concerned about the re spreading into the Weeksville Drainage on its south- eastern ank. Cole said even if re ghters do get a line around the entire blaze, o cials expect the re to burn for weeks because of all the unburned fuel within the re area.
As of Aug. 29, 45 homes near the re were still evac- uated and 130 residences were being told to be ready to leave the area should the re suddenly grow.
Flathead Hotshots mop up hot spots on the Bierney Creek Fire near Lakeside.
GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
A Type I Incident Management Team was overseeing the re ghting e ort.
Numerous U.S. Forest Service roads and trails in and around the re have been closed since it started on July 31. On Aug. 29, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks announced that the Thompson River Drainage and all tributary drainages south of the Historic Bend Ranger Station would be closed to hunting. The closure impacts
80 percent of Hunting District No. 122.
Farther north near Lakeside, re ghters were con-
tinuing to mop up the Bierney Creek Fire. As of Aug. 29, the re was 90 percent contained. The re was rst reported on Aug. 22 and quickly scorched 60 acres within a few hours. Because it was burning close to homes, re ghters were quick to attack the blaze from the ground and from the air. Although some residents left the area due to the re, there were never any man- datory evacuations.
Warm and dry conditions were forecasted for the early part of the week before cool weather arrives for the Labor Day Weekend.
For the latest on wild res across Northwest Mon- tana, visit www. atheadbeacon.com.
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
“IT’S GOING TO BE A HOT AND DRY WEEK. THIS FIRE ISN’T GOING TO GO AWAY ANYTIME SOON.”
- MIKE COLE
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AUGUST 31, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM
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