wildfire

On Tuesday morning the National Park Service confirmed that seven private residences, a number of outbuildings and several Park-owned historic structures were consumed when the lightning-ignited Howe Ridge Fire made a wind-fueled run Sunday night.

Update 4:58 p.m.

The Highway 37 Fire that was threatening the former WR Grace asbestos mine north of Libby is now 100 percent contained.

Shawn Ray-Delmas, a spokesperson for the Kootenai National Forest, says the wildfire was fully contained a few days before an official announcement was made Monday.

Eric Whitney: Nicky You're in West Glacier where the people were evacuated from the Howe Ridge Fire are getting new details about the fire and its impacts.

Update 5:22 p.m.

Officials in Glacier National Park now say that, “a number of structures were lost last night” in the Howe Ridge wildfire that was sparked by lighting Saturday.

They estimate the size of the fire on the north end of Lake McDonald at 1,500 to 2,500 acres and have offered no estimate of containment. A press release says two water scooping aircraft are drawing water from Lake McDonald and, along with a helicopter are “working to establish a secure anchor point from which to fight the fire.”