WEST GLACIER – The Howe Ridge fire burning on the west side of Glacier National Park held steady on Thursday and has burned 3,500 acres with 0% containment.
A Type 1 Incident Management Team has now officially taken over at the scene.
Fire managers have scheduled a meeting to discuss the strategy to battle the Whale Butte, Howe Ridge, Coal Ridge, and Paola Ridge fires at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the Columbia Falls High School in the “little theater.”
Mobile viewers click here to view a photo gallery from the Howe Creek fire.
Crews are continuing to protect the remaining structures along North Lake McDonald Road after several cabins and structures burned earlier this week.
Fire managers expect that most of the Howe Ridge fire’s growth is expected to happen along the northwest edge of the fire towards Rogers Lake as well as southward to Lake McDonald.
The Howe Ridge fire was sparked by lightning on August 11th.
Area closures and evacuations remain in place:
- Avalanche Campground and Sprague Campground
- North Lake McDonald Road (private residences and the Lake McDonald Ranger Station)
- Lake McDonald Lodge Complex (all businesses, employees, and private residences)
- Private residences along the Going-to-the-Sun Road
- The Going-to-the-Sun Road is still closed from the foot of Lake McDonald (near Apgar) to Logan Pass. The
- Inside North Fork road is also closed as well as multiple trails.
The park has established a Fire Information Line at (406) 888-7077. Recorded information is available if a fire information officer is not available to answer the phone.
Glacier National Park and most of western Montana are under Stage II Fire Restrictions.
