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Contact: Recorded Fire Information, 406-888-7077
Weather:
Today will be partly to mostly sunny. Temperatures will range from 54-64 degrees in the Flathead Valley and 46-56 degrees at the Boundary Fire. Winds will remain at 5-10 mph out of the southwest, gusting 15-20 mph. Relative humidity remains in the mid 30’s. This weekend should bring substantial wetting rain to the area.
Howe Ridge:
Yesterday, hazard tree removal was completed around structures in the upper Lake McDonald area. Smoke will remain visible in this area and near the northern flank by Camas Ridge. Today, crews will be monitoring fire spread above the Going to the Sun Road, between the inside North Fork Road and Howe Creek, and along Camas Ridge. Crews will maintain pumps, sprinklers and hose lays near upper Lake McDonald, McDonald Creek Trail and Fish Creek. Crews will remain ready to protect infrastructure as needed. Minimal fire activity is predicted today, mainly creeping and smoldering.
Howe Ridge Statistics:
Location: NW side of Lake McDonald
Start date: August 11, 2018
Size: 14,499 acres
Containment: 20%
Cause: Lightning
Injuries: 0
Estimated cost: $11.7 Million
Structures Lost
Residence: 13
Minor Structures: 14
Resources
Crews: 2
Engines: 2
Personnel: 122
Boundary:
Yesterday, fire behavior and smoke were minimal due to fog and drizzle occurring over the Boundary fire. Weather conditions will be clear for air operations to return to normal. Crews will monitor the north side of the fire and utilize air resources to check the fire spread toward Waterton Lake. Crews will also mop up and hold fire edge north of Boundary Creek. Today, fire behavior will continue to be minimal mainly creeping and smoldering. Parks Canada fire management staff will be meeting with the Northern Rockies Incident Management Team at the Incident Command Post in Glacier.
Boundary Statistics:
Location: Boundary Creek
Start date: August 23, 2018
Size: 2,911 acres estimated
Containment: 14%
Cause: Unknown
Injuries: 0
Estimated cost: $675,000
Resources
Crews: 1
Personnel: 20
GENERAL FIRE INFORMATION
The majority of Glacier National Park is open. Open areas include Apgar, Two Medicine, St. Mary, Many Glacier and the North Fork. The Howe Ridge fire is burning in less than 1% of Glacier’s 1 million acres. The temporary closure area for public safety and fire suppression access is approximately 93,500 acres, or less than 10% of the park.
Evacuations:
Evacuation orders are in place for North Lake McDonald Road (private residences and the Lake McDonald Ranger Station), Lake McDonald Lodge area (all businesses, employees, and private residences), and private residences along the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Closed campgrounds include Sprague Creek, Avalanche, and Fish Creek.
Closures:
The Going-to-the-Sun Road remains open on the eastern section for 18 miles between St. Mary and Logan Pass. It is closed to private vehicles on the western section for 30 miles between the foot of Lake McDonald (near Apgar) and Logan Pass. The North Lake McDonald and Fish Creek Roads are closed. The Dutch Lake Trail is closed.
Currently, private vehicles are not allowed in the closure. Visitors can ride the Park shuttle system from the Apgar Visitor Center Shuttle Stop to Logan Pass, with no stops. Free Park shuttle passes from Apgar Visitor Center are required. For more information go to https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/news/newsreleases.htm. For reservations visit http://www.glaciernationalparklodges.com/ for Red Bus Tours or http://www.glaciersuntours.com/ for Sun Tours.
The Inside North Fork Road is closed from Fish Creek to Logging Creek. Trail closures are associated with this fire; full trail closures are reflected on the park’s website at: https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/nature/fire-information.htm.
Additional closures in Waterton Lakes National Park were put into place on Friday, September 7, due to the spread of the Boundary Fire. As of 10:00 am today, the Bertha Lake Trail and the Bertha Bay and Bertha Lake Backcountry Campgrounds will be opened. However, the Lakeshore Trail beyond the Bertha Bay Backcountry remains closed. On evening of September 10, Parks Canada closed the Bison Paddock overlook, to facilitate helicopter operations.
Aircraft Assigned:
All aircraft are shared among the fires within Glacier National Park and the Flathead National Forest being managed by Mike Goicoechea’s Northern Rockies Type 1 Incident Management Team. One Type 1, and three Type 3 helicopters are currently assigned to the incident.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Howe Ridge. Drones can shut down critical fire operations, and launching, landing or operating drones is prohibited in Glacier National Park.
Recorded Fire Information: 406-888-7077
Fire Information: 406-578-8256 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Website:
Howe: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6135
Boundary: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6170
Email: e-mail us
Glacier National Park Information: 406-888-7800, www.nps.gov/glac
Last updated: September 14, 2018