The latest news on wildfires around western Montana.
Last Updated: 5:55 p.m. 07/08/16
Observation Fire
Firefighters working the Observation Fire south of Hamilton have now established a wet line around the entire perimeter of the fire.
532 people are currently working on the fire ten miles south of Hamilton with helicopters, engines, water tenders, and on the ground crews. Excess supplies are being identified to relocate to other incidents around the state.
The Type One Incident Management Team will hand off duties to a smaller local team Tuesday morning.
Fire Information Officer Anne Rys-Sikora:
"They’ll have a camp crew for food, continued use of Darby High School. We’re gonna be leaving them a few crews. We’re gonna leave them all of the hose lay that’s up on the mountain, so that if something happens they’re ready to go."
The fire is 50 percent contained, a 20 percent increase from yesterday.
The west portion of the fire is on steep inaccessible terrain and there will be a presence until a season ending event.
Area closures remain in effect for the Lost Horse drainage from the junction of Lost Horse Rd. and Lick Creek Rd. west to the Idaho-Montana border, including Twin Lakes, Schumaker Campground and Bear Creek Pass Trailhead, and from Lake Como north to Camas Creek. Lake Como is open.
