HAMILTON — Firefighters are working on several wildfires in the Bitterroot National Forest with officials saying 262 lightning strikes were reported across the forest on Monday.
The Bitterroot National Forest provided the following information on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024.
The Boulder Peak Fire in the West Fork is 13 miles southwest of Conner. The blaze has shown little growth and is estimated at 110 acres. Rain and cooler temperatures helped to slow the fire's growth. Heavy equipment operators are creating contingency lines to protect property in the southeast area from the fire.
The lightning-sparked Bear Creek Fire in the Stevensville District was first seen on Aug. 15 and has burned two acres. It’s located just below the Bear Creek Overlook area near the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness boundary. This fire was quickly contained and crews are patrolling hotspots and spot fires.
The Daly Creek Fire in the Darby-Sula District is located two miles north of the Railroad Fire, south of Skalkaho Highway. It has burned five acres. The 711 and Railroad Creek roads are currently closed in the area.
The Bitterroot National Forest reports that so far this fire season crews have responded to 73 wildfires, most of which were caused by lightning.
