As the danger from another wildfire season tentatively begins to draw down, the finger-pointing over fire policy and management has already ramped up. The rumor mill that inevitably takes shape amid natural disasters has given rise to a controversial story regarding mismanagement of the Jocko Lakes fire by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation. It’s a rumor a tribal spokesman is taking great pains to dispel, and one he said reveals an alarming disconnect between the CSKT and surrounding communities.

According to Rob McDonald, communications director for the tribes, the rumor began circulating around Aug. 6 – a few days after the Jocko Lakes fire started expanding rapidly – that CSKT officials obstructed a DNRC crew from an initial attack of the beginnings of the fire July 18 because it was burning in a tribal primitive area. The fire, which as of this writing has burned more 35,000 acres, came close to destroying the town of Seeley Lake.

 

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Montana's largest fire of the season, the Chippy Creek Fire 42 mile southwest of Kalispell, is now fully contained at 99,090 acres – or about 155 square miles. Evacuation orders have been lifted and rehabilitation operations are underway.

 

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Montana will owe more than $39 million after fall rains and snow have cooled this fire season. And already, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is out of money.

Earlier this week, Gov. Brian Schweitzer called state legislators to come back to Helena Sept. 5 for the second special session of the year, this time to put money towards fighting fire and beef up the governor's emergency relief fund.

Some have questioned the timing of the special session, since fires are still burning around the state, but Bob Harrington, DNRC State Forester, says it's past time.

"We're out of money and we're going to have to shut down the DNRC to keep going," Harrington said. "We're out of money to pay the bills."

 

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HELENA (AP) – The speaker of the Montana House says he has no quarrel with Gov. Brian Schweitzer's request for $55 million to pay for fighting wildfires as lawmakers convene in a special legislative session this week.

 

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Crews have the Black Cat fire burning near Evaro northwest of Missoula pretty well snuffed out. Wednesday morning the 11,754-acre blaze was 90 percent contained with full containment expected Thursday.

Northeast of Missoula, the 35,070-acre Jocko Lakes fire west of Seeley Lake is now 55 percent contained. Line construction continues along the southern and western perimeters of the fire, with hand crews burning out areas to clean up the remaining vegetation between the main body of the fire and the line. Elsewhere, crews continue to mop up and patrol.

On the 57,000-acre Sawmill Complex, southeast of Missoula, growth is still expected due to hot and dry weather and the amount of uncontrolled line.

Click "more" for a full roundup.

 

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It's been a productive few days on the Black Cat fire burning near Evaro northwest of Missoula.

Sunday, crews has the fire 60 percent contained, up from the 35 percent the day before. By Monday night, the fire had solid containment line around 70 percent of it -- including on the northeast side, where homes had been threatened just a few days before.

The fire is holding at 11,754 acres and crews are mostly "mopping up and looking for hot spots," said fire information officer Marian Swinney.

Northeast of Missoula, crews were also making headway on the 34,932-acre Jocko Lakes fire west of Seeley Lake.

More updates on Montana fires after the jump ...

 

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HELENA, Mont. (AP) _ Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Monday called a special legislative session for Sept. 5 so lawmakers can allocate more money to pay for fighting wildfires this summer.

At a Capitol news conference, Schweitzer said he will request an additional $55 million that could be put toward this year's firefighting efforts and next year's, along with other emergencies that might come up, such as snowstorms or earthquakes.

 

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Montana fires had an active weekend, but for the most part, containment lines held through -- in some places -- red-flag winds.

Most of the weekend action came in Western Montana, namely on the fires south of Missoula. On the Sawmill Complex south of I-90 and the Rock Creek area, the Fisher Point fire flared up Saturday on its east flank, prompting the Granite County Sheriff to call for mandatory evacuations in the upper Willow Creek area.

But, no other new evacuations were ordered over the weekend and pre-evacuation notices were lifted near the Black Cat fire burning near Evaro, which was quiet again Sunday.

 

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