West Lolo Complex fires at 2,400 acres, public meeting set

The lightning-sparked West Lolo Complex fires in Mineral and Sanders counties have burned 2,408 acres and are 18% contained.

A public meeting to discuss the fires will be held Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Thompson Falls Rural Fire Department, 1811 West Main Street.

The meeting will be recorded and available for viewing after its conclusion on the West Lolo Complex Facebook page and the West Lolo Complex YouTube Channel.

MTN News

Eight of the fires initially in the West Lolo Complex have been contained and returned to the local ranger districts for patrol by local personnel.

Those fires include Cataract, Deep Creek, Quinn, Sheep Creek, Siegel, Sunset, Upper Graves Creek, and Thompson.

The Deep Lookout Mountain and the Thorne Creek fires are being managed under a full suppression strategy with public and firefighter safety as the number one priority.

There are 319 people assigned to the West Lolo Complex which has cost an estimated $7.3 million to fight. A total of 125 structures remain threatened.

Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District

Thorne Creek Fire: 2,043 acres and 0% contained, located northeast of Thompson Falls.

It is in steep, rugged terrain in the Cube Iron/Silcox area, and poses an extreme risk to firefighter safety. Heavy equipment and hand crews made good progress with line preparation along Bark Table Road to Priscilla Peak and Thompson River Road, and from Bark Table Road to Highway 200.

Firefighters will continue utilizing heavy equipment and hand crews to construct indirect control lines from Weber Gulch Trailhead to the Thompson River Road. Resources will look for indirect line opportunities to the north near Upper Graves Creek Road to Sundance Ridge.

Long-term management utilizing indirect strategies and close coordination with private landowners and cooperators for line construction placement and access points is underway.

Superior Ranger District

Deep Lookout Mountain Fire: 365 acres and 77% contained, located in the upper reaches of the Deep Creek Drainage, north of I-90, 12 miles east of Superior, five miles west of Stark Mountain Lookout.

Firefighters will continue reinforcing and securing containment lines and mopping up Wednesday. As crews complete suppression activities and resources are no longer needed, they will be shifted to the Thorne Creek Fire.