HAMILTON - Several wildfires are continuing to burn in the Bitterroot National Forest.
The Northern Rockies Team 1, headed by Doug Turman is overseeing five fires.
- Blodgett Lake Fire: 2290 acres
- Mill Lake Fire: 908 acres
- Big Creek Fire: 153 acres
- Bear Creek Fire: 232 acres
- Kootenai Creek Fire: 1.0 acres
Fire managers reported on Monday that fire activity remains light after wet weather moved into the Bitterroot Valley Sunday, accompanied by brief gusty winds and lightning.
Crews are widening fuel buffers on road #1327 using wood chippers to clear brush in vulnerable locations.
Firefighters have completed work on a hand line from the south end of road #1327 to the rock cliff face above Fred Burr Creek.
Crews will continue working on a continuous indirect control line along the Forest Service - Private Property boundary from Mill Creek south to Blodgett Canyon.
A hand line north of Bear Creek Trailhead along the FS boundary to road 1325 has also been completed.
A structure protection group is continuing to work with local fire departments to scout structures adjacent to Forest Service land east of Big Creek, Bear Lake, and Blodgett Lake fires.
Meanwhile, the Bitterroot Hotshots are doing line improvement near Don Mackey Point.
There are closures across the fire area. Details can be found at https://www.fs.usda.gov/bitterroot.
There are 224 people assigned to fight the fires.
