Fire crews continue their steady progress against Glacier Park’s Reynolds Creek Fire. Containment inched up to 67%. Burned acreage also increased a bit and is now at 3,913 acres, most of this from torching of previous unburned areas within the fire perimeter. Here is this morning’s official press release . . .
Reynolds Creek Fire Media Release August 3, 2015 8:00 a.m.
Facts at a Glance
Size: 3,913 acres Date Started: 07/21/2015 Percent Containment: 67%
Personnel Assigned: 467, including eight Interagency Hotshot crews, five 20-person hand crews, and other various personnel
Location: Approximately six miles east of Logan Pass, four miles west of St. Mary Visitor Center
Equipment Assigned: 12 engines, seven helicopters and multiple shared resources
Cooperating Agencies: Resources from Flathead National Forest, Glacier County, East Glacier, Babb, St. Mary, Cutbank, Evergreen, and West Valley Fire Departments, Blackfeet Fire Management, Montana Department of Natural Resources, Flathead County, as well as Glacier County and Montana Disaster & Emergency Services are assisting Glacier National Park.
Cause: Under investigation Structures Lost: 2 Cost: $8.3 Million
Fire Information for the Reynolds Creek Fire will now be available through the general Glacier National Park information line at (406) 888-7500
Today’s actions: The smoke in the area is a combination of the Reynolds Creek Fire and other fires burning in the Northwest. Warmer temperatures are expected today with a slight chance of thunderstorms this afternoon into this evening. Ahead of these storms is a cold front that is expected to enter our area tonight, bringing light rain and wind gusts of 30-40 mph.
Heavy smoke over the fire area yesterday caused diminished fire activity throughout the day. Occasional runs of unburned fuels well inside the perimeter were observed in the Rose Creek and Baring Creek drainages. Crews will continue to reinforce containment lines and mop-up along the fire’s edge. Firefighters on the fire’s southwestern edge in the St Mary River area are beginning to remove equipment and hose. There is currently over 71 miles of hose on this fire.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road corridor continues to be a hazardous area. The fire is still burning in close proximity to the road. Unburned trees near the road remain and have the potential to burn. Additionally, fifteen to twenty fire weakened trees were identified adjacent to the road yesterday and have been removed.
Closures: The Rising Sun Motor Inn and the Rising Sun Campground remain closed. The Going-to-the-Sun Road remains closed from the St. Mary Campground to Logan Pass on the east side of the park.
Openings: Going-to-the-Sun Road is open to Logan Pass from the west side of the park. Visitors should continue to expect delays and congestion along the road. The Red Eagle drainage is open for hiking access to Red Eagle Lake, Triple Divide, and the beaver ponds. The Sperry Trail is open from Lake McDonald Lodge to Gunsight Pass. Any travel beyond Gunsight Pass is closed due to fire activity. The Lake Ellen Wilson backcountry site is open.
Glacier National Park remains open, and excellent recreation opportunities abound. Information on current park activities can be found at: www.nps.gov/glac, Facebook.com/GlacierNPS, twitter.com/glaciernps, or flickr.com/photos/glaciernps. Additionally, current conditions can be viewed on park webcams at: http://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm.