Thompson Fire burning on west side of Continental Divide, Aug 12, 2015
Here’s a good summary of the fire situation in this corner of Montana right now . . .
Eight major fires are burning across the region Friday and officials say the situation could worsen this afternoon as a weather system brings gusty winds and thunderstorms amid historically dry conditions.
The National Weather Service in Missoula issued a red flag warning starting at noon for the entire northern half of Montana.
“If something new starts in the right spot it could be catastrophic,” said Lincoln Chute, Flathead County fire service area manager.
Glacier Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road is open 24×7 again . . .
The night closure on the east side of Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park has been lifted. The entire 52 miles of Sun Road are open to vehicles.
Visitors will not be able to stop or park along the road in the Reynolds Creek Fire area on the east side of Sun Road and are reminded to drive cautiously, according to a news release from Glacier Park.
Night traffic had been prohibited since the road east of Logan Pass reopened to motorists on Friday. It had been closed since the fire started on July 21 and burned a long stretch north of St. Mary Lake.
The east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park is open to vehicle access from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Drivers should drive cautiously and be aware of firefighting activities along the road due to the Reynolds Creek Fire.
Glacier National Park Superintendent Jeff Mow said, “In consultation with the incident management team managing the Reynolds Creek Fire, we have opened the east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road for visitor vehicle travel from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily.”
There will be no visitor travel during the evening, night and early morning hours. Mow said, “We believe the night closure is in the best interest of the firefighters working in the area and the visitor. He said access may increase or decrease according to fire activity and safety.
Smoke may be visible and may reduce visibility at times, so visitors are required to drive slowly. Active fire may be visible from the road, and visitors should watch for falling debris such as rocks and tree limbs, as well as fire-weakened trees. Almost 500 hazard trees, fire-weakened trees, have been removed from along the road. If anyone sees or encounters debris or fallen trees on the road, do not attempt to remove it, but please report it to a ranger or closest visitor center.
Firefighters will be working and firefighting equipment will be staged along the road. Visitors will not be able to stop or park along the road or in pullouts between the St. Mary Campground and Siyeh Bend. However, the Rising Sun area will have limited access to concession operations. Siyeh Bend is located approximately one mile east of Logan Pass.
Bicycle travel is not allowed in the fire areas, but cyclists may transport their bikes via the park shuttle system. The park shuttle service will operate as normal, although there will be no shuttle stops in the fire area. The only shuttle stops on the east side at this time will be Rising Sun and Siyeh Bend.
The Glacier Boat Company will resume boat tour operations at Rising Sun. The Rising Sun Camp Store operated by Glacier National Park Lodges will reopen on Saturday, August 8, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily. The Rising Sun Motor Inn and the Two Dog Flats Grill will remain closed at this time.
The Rising Sun Campground is anticipated to be closed most of the season.
Road rehabilitation work on the Going-to-the-Sun that was happening before the fire will continue, and visitors may encounter delays.
An alternate to the Going-to-the-Sun Road is U.S. Highway 2 along the southern boundary of the park. Alternate transportation options for traveling the Going-to-the-Sun Road include the park’s free shuttle system or concession-operated interpretive tours with Glacier National Park Lodge’s Red Buses or Sun Tours Cultural Tours.
Access to trails on the east side of the park along the Going-to-the-Sun Road is limited. All trails within the fire perimeter are closed. The Piegan Pass Trail from Siyeh Bend is open for hiking to the north, but not accessible to the south. The Siyeh Pass Trail is only open to Siyeh Pass, and is closed in the Baring Creek. The Gunsight Pass Trail remains closed from the Going-to-the-Sun Road to Gunsight Pass. Trails accessing St. Mary, Virginia, and Baring Creek Falls are closed. Please check the on-line trail status information at http://www.nps.gov/glac/planyourvisit/hikingthetrails.htm or ask a park ranger at one of the park’s visitor centers.
Reynolds Creek Fire Perimeter August 3, 2015 – click for bigger version
Reynolds Creek Fire crews are starting to give priority to getting the eastern section of Going-to-the-Sun-Road re-opened . . .
Glacier Park Superintendent Jeff Mow said Wednesday that he expects the east side of the Going-the-Sun Road will open soon to vehicle traffic. “It should open easily within a week, unless something dramatic changes,” he said.
The road was closed from Logan Pass to St. Mary on July 21 due to the Reynolds Creek Fire. But firefighters now have the fire nearly 70 percent contained and firefighting efforts have centered on the road corridor itself, as crews continue to remove hundreds of hazard trees and hit hot spots along the highway.
The fire burned very hot along some sections of the highway. The fire, by western standards, isn’t very big — about 4,000 acres, but its influence was largely along an eight-mile stretch of the highway, from roughly Deadwood Falls to Two Dog Creek.
Size: 3,913 acres Date Started: 07/21/2015 Percent Containment: 67%
Personnel Assigned: 310, including five Interagency Hotshot crews, four 20-person initial attack crews, and other various personnel
Location: Approximately six miles east of Logan Pass, four miles west of St. Mary Visitor Center
Equipment Assigned: seven engines, four 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: $9.7 Million
Today’s actions: A cold front will be moving through the area today bringing with it an increase of moisture, cloud cover and possibly light showers. High winds area expected out of the west with gusts from 40-45 mph and temperatures will be in the 60’s. The northwestern area of Rose Creek drainage area will continue to burn as fuels dry out and become receptive to heat. Interior unburned islands will continue to be consumed, reducing the availability of fuel. Crews will proceed with mopping up along the fire’s perimeter, as well as removing excess equipment and hose.
As Fire managers are feeling more confident in the security of the fire line perimeter, crews will concentrate on removing hazards and extinguishing hot spots along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Firefighters are now able to focus more resources along Going-to-the-Sun Road, there is an expectation that the historic road will reopen sometime during this summer season as soon as it is safe for public travel. This remains a major priority for Glacier National Park. All businesses are open in St. Mary to provide a variety of services for summer vacationers on the east side of the Divide.
Closures: The Rising Sun Motor Inn, Rising Sun Campground, and the Rising Sun Boat Dock 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 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.
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.
Fire crews are holding their own against Glacier Park’s Reynold Creek blaze, despite some torching along the north end of St. Mary Lake . . .
Wildland firefighter crews battled through hot weather and heavy winds Saturday on the Reynolds Creek fire in Glacier National Park.
The fire is estimated at 3,558 acres, burning four and a half miles east of Logan Pass along the northwest shore of St. Mary Lake on the east side of the park. It is 65 percent contained.
Public information officer Diane Sine said the nearly 400 acres in growth in the fire’s size over the second half of the past week was due to its torching of unburned fuels on the north side of the lake.
Here’s the official word on the Reynolds Creek Fire as of about 7:30 am . . .
Facts at a Glance
Size: 3,342 acres Date Started: 07/21/2015 Percent Containment: 63%
Personnel Assigned: 520, 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: $7.25 Million
·A community meeting will be held at the St. Mary Lodge tonight, Saturday, August 1, 6-7 p.m.·
Today’s actions: A red flag warning continues for today’s high winds and low humidity. Fire activity has the potential to increase today due to these conditions. Fire should continue to burn actively into the rocks in Rose Creek and Two Dog drainages, located north of the fire’s northern perimeter. Crews are allowing these drainages to burn in order to reduce the amount of fuel in this region. Firefighters will monitor and suppress any spot fires outside fire containment lines.
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. The road corridor continues to be a hazardous area: trees and rolling debris continued to stop firefighters from freely moving from one location to another; the fire burned actively adjacent to the road, burning through the previously unburned fuel; and smoke was dense throughout the stretch of road within the fire perimeter.
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.
Winds have the Reynolds Creek Fire burning more intensely, but it is still contained . . .
Heavy plumes of smoke towered above the east side of Glacier National Park on Friday afternoon as a patch of fuel burned within the Reynolds Creek Fire.
“It’s mostly burning in the interior, up in the Rose Creek area,” said Nan Stinson, a fire information officer. A spot in the northeastern corner fueled the increased burn. Stinson said that it was a pocket of vegetation up against some rocks.
Smoke rose into the sky and a portion of the plume could be seen from the Flathead Valley.
