A late-night storm on Sunday generated more than 100 lightning strikes in the Flathead National Forest and sparked seven small fires. By Tuesday six of the fires had been doused and only the eight acre Snow Peak Fire continued to burn in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
According to the forest’s public affairs specialist, Wade Muehlhof, five of the fires were started within the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Although the fires were small, the U.S. Forest Service warned that an area hit by lightning can smolder for days and develop into a full-fledged fire when conditions are right. The Snow Peak Fire was expected to be fully controlled by Wednesday and an eight person fire crew would spend the next few days mopping it up.
The Forest Service was urging people to be careful when out on Forest Service land and to always put out campfires.