Lolo Forest rescinds Stage 2 fire rules

Recent storms have brought much-needed rainfall to the Lolo National Forest, prompting officials to rescind Stage 2 fire restrictions last week.

However, managers stress that the fire danger level remains high because the threat of wildfire still exists, especially from recent lightning strikes increasing the potential for new ignitions.

“Restrictions are designed to reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires. While the threat still remains, fuel conditions aren’t as conducive to fires spreading quickly right now,” said Carolyn Upton, Lolo National Forest Supervisor. “Everyone is encouraged to remain vigilant and take precautions to prevent wildfires. Conditions can change quickly, as we saw this past month when hot, dry weather created extreme fire danger levels.”

This summer, 81 percent of all wildfires across Montana have been human caused. Fire managers and their staff remain poised and ready to respond to any reports of smoke or wildfires and continue to patrol and use aircraft to detect potential fires.

Fire managers will continue to monitor conditions and reevaluate restriction levels based on multiple factors including fire danger levels, predicted weather, and fuel moisture. The public is advised to check fire restrictions for where you are or plan to go, as conditions can change rapidly, and fire restrictions remain in place for some jurisdictions. For the most up-to-date information on fire restrictions in Montana, visit the official website: www.MTFireInfo.org.

The Scapegoat Wilderness on the Lolo National Forest will remain in Stage 1 fire restrictions. The Wilderness is part of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex managed by three national forests, the Flathead, Helena-Lewis and Clark and Lolo.

The Miller Peak Fire south of Missoula was 86 percent contained last week. The fire will transition to a local Type 4 organization this weekend, who will continue to monitor and mop up areas along the fire’s edge. In coming weeks, suppression repair activities will commence, following a repair plan created by local resource advisors and fire specialists.

“We have immense gratitude for the multitude of resources who worked hard to keep this fire from negatively impacting critical values,” said Crystal Stonesifer, District Ranger for the Missoula Ranger District on the Lolo National Forest. “We are at a place now where we can catch our breaths and began turning our attention towards the repair plan. We appreciate the public’s continued compliance with our area closure so that firefighters and personnel can safely operate to meet our objectives.”

The Flathead Reservation remains in Stage 1 restrictions and fire danger is rated as high.

Two fires were active on the reservation last week. The Racehorse Fire had burned an acre near Dixon, while the Dirty Corner Fire near Arlee burned 9 acres.

Glacier National Park, the Flathead Forest and Flathead County last week rescinded Stage 1 fire rules based on recent rainfall across the area. 

West Glacier had picked up 1.25 inches of rainfall through Aug. 8, well ahead of the normal precipitation of 0.25 for the first week of the month. Kalispell had recorded 0.59 inches of rain for the month.