ELMO - The Niarada Fire a dozen miles west of Elmo has grown from 13,686 acres to 14,816 acres as of Friday, Aug. 4, 2023.
The blaze was sparked by lightning on July 30, 2023, as part of the widespread lightning storm that went through the area.
Fire managers report the fire was active overnight and continues to grow to the east and southeast towards Elmo.
A community meeting to discuss the Big Knife, Niarada, and Mill Pocket fires will take place on, Friday, Aug. 4 at 6 p.m. in the Elmo Community Center. The meeting will be broadcast live on the CSKT Division of Fire Facebook page.
The north arm saw creeping in unburned fuels but suppression efforts have limited spread.
A mandatory evacuation remains in place from the top of the Pass on Brown’s Meadow Road South to Highway 28, and also includes Kofford Ridge Road.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office has placed the Walking Horse Lane area in pre-evacuation status while the town of Elmo is in "ready" status.
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office has issued a pre-evacuation warning for Hubbart Dam Rd/NF-544 from the intersection of Crossover Road south to Montana Highway 28.
The nearby Mill Pocket Fire has burned approximately 2,000 acres and is west of the Niarada Fire.
There are 82 people assigned to the blazes which are 0% contained.
