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Wildfire, fire management and air quality news for western Montana and the Northern Rockies.

New Fire Northeast Of Lincoln

InciWeb

Today fire managers in Lewis and Clark County said firefighters and a helicopter responded to a new fire ten miles northeast of Lincoln in the Alice Creek drainage. It is estimated at 15 acres in size, with zero percent containment.

The strategy for today is for firefighters to assess fire activity and develop a plan to safely suppress the fire, working off the ridgeline. Helicopters are assisting the ground response with water bucket drops to cool hot spots. The crew will “spike out” for the night, decreasing travel time to and from the remote location and maximizing the time spent working on the fire.

There is a red flag warning in effect from noon today (Sun. 7/23) until 9 p.m. tonight. The forecast calls for low relative humidity, warmer temperatures and gusty winds. There is a slight chance of isolated dry thunderstorms, starting today.

Steep rugged terrain, large dead fuels and numerous snags are the primary safety concerns.

Currently, there are no evacuations in effect, associated with the Park Creek, Arrastra Creek and Alice Creek Fires. Based on current and projected fire activity, the Fire Management Team, Lincoln Ranger District and Lewis & Clark County Sheriff's Office are closely coordinating to determine the potential need for future evacuations.

Eric Whitney is NPR's Mountain West/Great Plains Bureau Chief, and was the former news director for Montana Public Radio.
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