MISSOULA — Crews are battling a series of small wildfires in the Missoula area.
The Lolo National Forest reports that over 60 lightning strikes were recorded Thursday and Friday in the Rock Creek and Ninemile areas.
Firefighters will continue efforts to detect and rapidly respond to new fires.
Crews are actively patrolling areas where lightning occurred, and detection flights are also being utilized daily to identify new wildfire starts.
Valley of the Moon Fire:
- Size: ¼ acre, no new fire growth
- Location: west of Rock Creek about three-to-four miles south of Interstate-90
- Update: Firefighters responded Thursday and built containment line around this fire. Firefighters will finish extinguishing smoldering hot spots within the containment line.
- The fire is expected to be controlled by the end of the day.
Quigg Peak Fire
- Size: 1/10 acre
- Location: 23 miles south of I-90 and two miles to the east of Rock Creek, just to the west of Quigg Peak.
- Update: The fire is in steep, rugged terrain in dead and downed timber. Friday, a helicopter will conduct water bucket drops on the fire to minimize fire activity as needed.
- No structures are threatened.
Cougar Creek Fire
- Size: 1/10 acre
- Location: 23 miles south of I-90 to the south of Quigg Peak in the Cougar Creek drainage two miles east of Rock Creek.
- Update: The fire is in steep terrain, burning in dead and downed timber surrounded by boulder/ rock scree fields. Thursday, a helicopter dropped water on the on the fire; water drops will continue as needed Friday.
- No structures are threatened.
