Hay Creek fire near Polebridge burning 250 acres

KALISPELL — A wildfire burning near Polebridge in the North Fork area has grown to 250 acres and is 0% contained.

The Hay Creek Fire was reported Wednesday evening approximately 5 miles west of Polebridge.

No structures are threatened at this time however, 20 pre-evacuation notices were issued by the Flathead County Sheriff's Office on Thursday.

Th Evacuation Warning area begins at approximately the Gravel Pit North of Polebridge, including residents accessing their homes from Long Bow Trail, and follows the North Fork Road up to Red Meadow Road, then extends west. It also includes residents on the north side of Red Meadow Road.

A public meeting to discuss the fire will take place at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the parking lot of the Sonderson Community Hall on North Fork Road in Polebridge.

MTN News

The fire is burning on steep slopes and in heavy timber in the Hay Creek drainage in the North Fork of the Flathead National Forest.

Fire behavior observed during a reconnaissance flight Thursday afternoon included single and group tree torching with some short-range spotting.

A type 1 Blackhawk helicopter has been doing bucket work on the fire as firefighters on the ground work to improve the existing shaded-fuel breaks.

Closures are being posted at the junction of the North Fork and Red Meadow Roads because of fire activity.

The following Forest System Roads are closed due to fire activity:

• FSR #115 Red Meadow Road from its terminus with the North Fork Road to its junction with FSR # 589
• FSR #376 Hay Creek Road from its junction with FSR #909 to its terminus to the west
• FSR #5241.

The following system trails are closed:

• Trail #3 Hay Creek Trail (Part of the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail)
• Trail #26 Whitefish Divide (Part of the Ralph Thayer National Recreation Trail) from its terminus with FSR #115 to its junction with trail#14
• Trail #14 Coal Ridge Trail from its terminus with Trail #26 to its junction with trail #2
• Trail #2 Moran Creek.