Lolo Peak Fire (Lolo)
Location: 10 miles southwest of Lolo Size: 34,495 acres Containment: 26 percent Structures threatened: 540 Structures destroyed: 2 homes, 6 outbuildings All residences along US Hwy 93 South have been reduced to an evacuation WARNING. This opens the remaining homes south of W. Carlton Creek Rd to the County Line Rd. These residents are able to return to their homes, but should be ready for a short notice evacuation should fire activity change. Highway 12 has been reopened by the Missoula County Sheriff's Office. Pilot car operations will no longer be running. The sheriff's office wants to alert travelers that a reduced speed limit of 45 mph is in place through fire areas. Evacuation Orders and Warnings: An evacuation order is in effect for all areas north and south of Highway 12, from mile marker 27 west to Elk Meadows including the Mill Creek Road and Elk Meadows Road. New evacuation orders in Ravalli County: Florence Carlton Loop south to One Horse Creek Road, and west of Hwy 93 from One Horse Creek Road to Sweeney Creek Loop. The updated Evacuation Order area includes all residents on Sweeney Creek Loop north of and including Outback Road to include Woodtick Hollow, Sweeney Creek Trail, Upper Sweeney Creek Loop, Hill Drive, Koepplin Lane and Smith Fork. Evacuation order is in place which includes residents west of Florence Carlton Loop from Tie Chute Lane south to Holloway Lane. Residents can be escorted to their homes, but have to check in at a roadblock that is closest to their home. Resident are asked to please have proof of residence. Evacuation warnings are in effect for Highway 12 corridor - areas east of mile marker 27 both north and south of the Highway 12 to the junction of Highway 93. Areas west of Elk Meadows Road to mile marker 19.5 also remain under an evacuation warning. Highway 93 corridor areas south of the Highway 93 and Highway 12 junction to Carlton Creek Road are under an evacuation warning. RETURNING HOME: The Missoula County Sheriff's office is urging returning residents to look for any changes on your property from firefighting operations. Once you are home, deputies ask you to check you well, pump, power meters and propane tanks, and also look for any evidence of fire. If you perceive any danger, contact 911. Rice Ridge Fire (Seeley Lake)
Location: 2 miles northeast of Seeley Lake Size: 18,840 acres Containment: 16 percent Structures Threatened: 1090 Evacuations: The Missoula County Sheriff issued the following on 8/24/2017: An Evacuation ORDER for the area along Forest Service Rd 17507 which runs north into North Cottonwood Canyon was issued due to an immediate fire threat near the Rice Ridge Fire; two cabins have been affected. An evacuation warning has been issued for residents in the Kozy Korner Meadows area. Eastern boundary starts in the 7500 block of Woodworth Road and runs west to Cottonwood Lakes Road, then north through the Rich Ranch. There are 15 homes in the warning area. This also includes the Black Canyon Ranch which is the only property located on the south side of Woodworth Road in the warning area. An evacuation warning issued within areas of Seeley Lake (including Double Arrow Ranch), remains in effect and residents are urged to be prepared. In the event of an evacuation order, residents will be directed to a new shelter site located at the UCC Church, 405 University Avenue, Missoula MT. Fire information booths will be staffed at the Valley Market, Seeley Airport and Rovero's Hardware Store on Highway 83 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the event of an evacuation, the American Red Cross will open a shelter. It is located at the Potomac Community Center, 29827 Potomac Rd., in Potomac. The shelter is on standby, anyone seeking to pre-evacuate that requires assistance or sheltering may call the Red Cross of Montana at 1-800-272-6668. Evacuees are urged to call before leaving for the shelter, as cell phone service is limited at the shelter. Closures: A closure order is still in effect for the areas surrounding the Rice Ridge Fire. A map and copies of the official closure orders are available on Inciweb. The lake at Seeley Lake, Clearwater Canoe trail, and the Big Larch Boat Launch have been opened. Big Larch campground is still closed. Gibralter Ridge Fire (Eureka)
Location: East of Eureka Size: 5,000 acres Containment: 52 percent Structures threatened: 144 Evacuations: An Evacuation Warning remains in effect for the Sherman Creek, Griffith Creek, Therriault Pass Road, and Stevens Creek areas. A Pre-Evacuation Warning remains in effect for the Glen Lake and Sinclair Creek (south/east of West Road) area. Residents are reminded to be prepared with a plan for evacuation including what you need to bring with you in the event of an evacuation. Road Closure: Grave Creek Road and the Ten Lakes recreation area remain closed beginning at the junction of Grave Creek and Stoken Roads. Lincoln County is still in Stage II Fire Restrictions. Sunrise Fire (Superior)
Location: 11 miles southeast of Superior Size: 25,540 acres Containment: 63 percent Evacuations: Stage III evacuations are in effect for Upper Trout Creek, Quartz Creek, Cougar Meadows, Cougar Gulch and Cougar Creek. No other evacuation orders are in effect. The Red Cross is prepared to provide shelter at Superior High School for evacuees. Closures: The area closure around the Sunrise Fire now includes Trout Creek Road (#250). Road blocks are in place near the Pellet Mill (lower Trout Creek) and at the upper Trout Creek Road intersection with Road #7813, near the Divide. Travelers from Cedar Creek should use Hoodoo Pass Road (#388) which takes you through Freezeout Pass Road (#3881/7813), and then back on to Road #250 to the SW. Travelers should also be advised to use high clearance vehicles and no trailers. A community fire information meeting will be held at the Lozeau Lodge Pavilion on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. Burdette Fire (Tarkio)
Location: 13 miles southeast of Tarkio Size: 649 acres Containment: 90 percent Structures Threatened: 0 Sapphire Complex Fire (Rock Creek)
Location: 25 miles southeast of Missoula Size: 38,924 acres Containment: 49 percent Structures Threatened: 315. Private property and structures in the Rock Creek and Upper Willow Creek drainage are threatened. Other resources threatened include a Bonneville Power Administration powerline and a communication site. Structures Destroyed: 1 cabin, 9 outbuildings Effective 6:00 a.m. Friday, August 25th, the Granite County Sheriff has down-graded evacuation orders for the area from Hogback Homestead south to Stony Creek and the Upper Willow Creek area; these areas will remain in Yellow Pre-evacuation Status. Other areas which will remain in Yellow Pre-evacuation Status include the northern portion of Rock Creek drainage from approximately Babco*ck Creek south to Bobcat Creek, from Butte Cabin south to Hogback Homestead, from Stony Creek south the Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge, from the Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge north to McDermott Gulch in the Upper Willow Creek drainage, and the Marshall/ Black Pine subdivisions. The Rock Creek Road from I-90 south to Harry's Flat (MP 17.5) is OPEN. The Rock Creek Road IS CLOSED from Harrys Flat south to Kyle G. Bohrnsen Memorial Bridge, and non-fire traffic is NOT allowed. Upper Willow Creek Road is closed to the public. All closures on the Lolo and Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forests and the Bureau of Land Management remain in effect. Stage 1 Fire Restrictions are in place on the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest (Forest Service land east of Sandstone Ridge). Stage 2 Fire Restrictions are in place (BLM), private and state lands in Granite County and the Lolo National Forest (Forest Service land west of Sandstone Ridge). Meyers Fire (Philipsburg)
Location: 25 miles southwest of Philipsburg Size: 16,083 acres Containment: 3 percent Structures threatened: 119 The Montana National Guard have been to deployed to help with fighting the Meyers Fire, located 25 miles southwest of Philipsburg.The Soldiers are scheduled to arrive at the fire on Wednesday morning, and will staff five security checkpoints around the fire area to free law enforcement personnel for other duties. Evacuations and Closures: Interagency fire management officials in southwestern Montana began Stage 1 fire restrictions, effective at midnight on August 5, 2017. These restrictions apply to the following areas: Madison County, Beaverhead County, Deer Lodge County, Silver Bow County, Powell County south of I-90 and Highway 12 and Granite County south of I-90 and east of the Lolo National Forest boundary. The current fire danger level across the forest is Very High. Granite County has implemented Stage II fire restrictions for private lands within Granite County. An Emergency Closure Order, dated August 3, 2017, remains in place for Copper Creek Road #80 closed at the junction with Moose Lake Road #5106. The Copper Creek Campground is closed. The Ross Fork Road #70 remains open to local traffic only. An additional Emergency Closure Order has been issued, dated August 22, 2017, closing the #8684 and #8685 Roads to Silver Hill south of Silver Lake, west of Storm Lake Road. The Peterson Meadow Road #893 has also been closed west of the Storm Lake Road. Storm Lake Road remains open to the public. Maurer Mountain Fire
Location: 20 miles south of Dillon Size: 3,000 acres Containment: 55 percent Structures Threatened: 10 Liberty Fire (Arlee)
Location: 17 miles southeast of Arlee Size: 9,407 acres Containment: 14 percent The Evacuation Warning for Seeley Lake remains in place; however, the Evacuation Warning for Placid Lake was lifted Monday, Aug. 21 at noon. The Missoula County Office of Emergency Management has established a hot line number for any Evacuation Warning or Order questions at (406) 258-4636. Tamarack Fire
Location: Nine miles northeast of Happy's Inn, MT Size: 407 acres Containment: 85 percent Blue Bay Fire
Location: Blue Bay, Flathead Lake Size: 490 acres Containment: 60 percent A community meeting is currently scheduled for Monday, August 28, 2017, at 7 p.m. at the Blue Bay Campground. Fire managers will provide a fire overview and answer questions.
