Poverty Flats Fire

The Boulder 2700 Fire burning more than 1,000 acres east of Flathead Lake near Polson has burned 8 primary structures and 17 secondary structures as of this afternoon, according to incident officials. Evacuation orders issued July 31 for residents along Highway 35 from mile marker 6 to 13 on the east side of Flathead Lake, including all of Finley Point, remain in effect.

Strong winds have pushed the 9,500-acre American Fork Fire west, leading to pre-evacuation warnings for the Shields River and Smith Creek communities. Fire Operations Section Chief Shawn Nagle says residents should consider evacuating even though it’s not mandatory.

The 53,000 acre Poverty Flats Fire is threatening more than 1,240 homes around Big Horn County. It’s also threatening infrastructure, utilities and roads in the area.