Comments (0) Total
UPDATE: Wildfire Near Polson Estimated at 9,700 Acres
Type 2 management team takes control of West Garceau Fire
While activity remained relatively calm, a wildfire west of Polson is almost twice as large as previously estimated, fire officials said Wednesday afternoon.
The West Garceau Fire has burned 9,700 acres, destroyed at least one structure and forced evacuations, according to the Type 2 incident management team in charge of operations. Fire officials with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes originally estimated the fire to be 5,000 acres.
The fire grew almost 2,000 acres Tuesday, according to CSKT Public Information Officer Curtis Matt.
Matt said more evacuations are possible and residents are being asked to prepare. The fire is burning in the Irvine Flats area, roughly six miles southwest of Big Arm and almost 12 miles west of Polson.
A Type 2 incident management team took over control of the fire Wednesday morning.
Matt said the fire is most likely human caused. The fire began on Monday afternoon on the Flathead Reservation. When firefighters first responded it had burned 10 acres, but 45 minutes later it ballooned to 400 acres. The fire is burning in both grasslands and timber.
Matt said rain early Wednesday slowed the fire's growth, but hot weather forecasted for later this week could keep the fire moving.
“It’s a guessing game,” he said. “Assuming we keep weather like we have, we can get a handle on it, but if we get high temperatures again, we’ll be back where we were.”
As of Wednesday morning, firefighters from the tribes, Bureau of Land Management and four volunteer fire departments were working the blaze.
The West Garceau Fire has burned 9,700 acres, destroyed at least one structure and forced evacuations, according to the Type 2 incident management team in charge of operations. Fire officials with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes originally estimated the fire to be 5,000 acres.
The fire grew almost 2,000 acres Tuesday, according to CSKT Public Information Officer Curtis Matt.
A Type 2 incident management team took over control of the fire Wednesday morning.
Matt said the fire is most likely human caused. The fire began on Monday afternoon on the Flathead Reservation. When firefighters first responded it had burned 10 acres, but 45 minutes later it ballooned to 400 acres. The fire is burning in both grasslands and timber.
Matt said rain early Wednesday slowed the fire's growth, but hot weather forecasted for later this week could keep the fire moving.
“It’s a guessing game,” he said. “Assuming we keep weather like we have, we can get a handle on it, but if we get high temperatures again, we’ll be back where we were.”
As of Wednesday morning, firefighters from the tribes, Bureau of Land Management and four volunteer fire departments were working the blaze.
Submit a comment now.