HOT SPRINGS – The Garden Creek Fire near Hot Springs has grown again after more than tripling in size earlier this week.
The lightning-sparked blaze has burned 2,000 acres burned with fire managers reported 5 percent containment. The fire grew substantially in a 24-hour period from Tuesday into Wednesday.
A total of 179 personnel, including seven crews, are assigned to the fire which is burning in several small drainages on Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribal land.
One structure was successfully protected on the east side of the fire earlier this week and no others are threatened at this time. The Confederated Salish& Kootenai Division of Fire reports the structure on the HS-5000 Road was evacuated and firefighters burned out around the house.
Personnel from the CSKT Division of Fire and a Type 3 Incident Management Team continue work on the fire burning near Coney Peak at elevations above 5,000 feet in steep and rocky terrain.
The Garden Creek fire started July 29.
The following roads have been closed in the vicinity of the Garden Creek fire:
- HS-4000 road
- HS-5000 road
- HS-1000 road at the HS-5030 junction to the north of the fire
- HS-1000 road at the McGinnis road junction to the south of the fire.
