The Colt Fire 15 miles northwest of Seeley Lake has grown to nearly 3,000 acres. The lightning-caused fire nearly doubled in size over the past two days and has prompted evacuation orders and warnings for some area residents.
The Missoula County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for residents near the summit of Beaver Creek Road and residents near the intersection of Beaver Creek Road and Highway 83. That order includes homes in Rovero Flats.
Residents living near the intersection of the west fork of the Clearwater Road and Highway 83 are under an evacuation warning.
Those living on the north and south ends of Lake Inez are also under a warning.
The Colt Fire was listed at 0% contained Monday morning and the area is under a red flag warning through midnight Tuesday.
Public meetings:
Tuesday July 25, 7 - 8 p.m. at the Seeley Lake Elementary School. This meeting will be streamed live on the Colt Fire Facebook page.
Wednesday July 25, 7 - 8 p.m. at the Condon Community Center.
An Evacuation Warning means current or projected hazards may require immediate evacuation. This is the time for final preparation, including precautionary movement of people with special needs, mobile property, and animals. Do not wait for an evacuation order for your area. Early self-evacuation enhances your safety.
An Evacuation Order means you are ordered to immediately leave the area. Incident conditions present an immediate threat to persons in the area.
A slow-moving emergency vehicle, loudspeaker announcements, and/or personal contact from a responder all indicate to evacuate immediately.
Remaining calm and putting your pre-planned actions in motion will be the best way to keep you and your family safe. Drive in a safe and orderly fashion on designated routes only.
Call 258-INFO (258-4636) for more information. Enroll with SMART 911 and check media outlets for more updates.
