Find the most current Montana wildfire news here. The wildfire roundups are updated throughout the day.
Last update 08/01/16 5:00 p.m.
Get Monday's news on the Roaring Lion fire in the Montana Wildfire Roundup for August 1.
At 5:54 a.m. Monday, August 1, the Ravalli County Sheriff's department said Highway 93 is now open with a 45 mph speed limit.
The Sheriff's office says, "Please use extreme caution through the affected area as there is still heavy responder traffic going in and out. Stage 1 and 2 evacuations remain the same."
We have a fresh update from the Ravalli County Sheriff's office on the Roaring Lion Fire south of Hamilton at 7:35 p.m., Sunday, July 31, 2016
A new stage one notification area has been added – stage one notification means there is a high probability of the need to evacuate.
The new stage one notification area is both sides of Lost Horse Road. The other stage one notification area is from Owings Creek to Westside Road west to Wyant lane.
Highway 93 is currently closed from Skalkaho road to Darby.
Here's the number for the Ravalli County Emergency Operations center: 406-375-6650.
Here are the evacuation areas for the Roaring Lion Fire:
The full evacuation area is the west side of Hwy 93 from Owings Creek to Hayes Creek.
That includes: all of Roaring Lion Road south of Hamilton, Lupine Ridge, Two Horse Lane, Highland Drive and North Gold Creek Loop, and Gold Creek Loop to Camas Creek Loop.
The Red Cross has a shelter set up for evacuees at the The River Church in Hamilton on the corner of Lewis and Cooper Lane. The Ravalli County Fairgrounds is available for livestock. Gates are open, self-serve.
The Ravalli County Sheriff's office is encouraging the public to download its mobile app: Search Ravalli County Sheriff at your app store.
The Sheriff's office is also regularly updating its Facebook page with fire information.
As of 8:45 p.m., nearly 500 homes had been evacuated or warned to prepare for evacuation. The fire was discovered around 2:00 p.m. Sunday, and grew to 2,000 acres in under 7 hours.
Five helicopters and an air tanker have been working the fire, along with three hotshot crews and engines from around the Bitterroot. They plan to work through the night to build containment lines around structures as the wind dies down.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
