Missoula County Sheriff's deputies are stretched to the limits spreading out over the county to issue evacuation warnings from the Lolo area all the way to Seeley Lake.

Spokeswoman Brenda Bassett said there are three areas now under a Stage One evacuation warning.

"The latest is the Lolo Peak Fire which has now established itself on the north side of Lantern Ridge," Bassett said. "Fire crews are aware of it, but right now they're giving evacuation warnings to nearly 100 homes. That's on the south side of Highway 12 from Elk Meadows Road to Fort Fizzle and that includes Miller Creek. It's us just saying you really need to be ready to go. If you have livestock, having some sort of exit strategy to move them and if you have family members that require extra assistance to just start making a plan."

Bassett said there are two different areas in Seeley Lake that are under Stage One evacuation warnings.

"The first if the Placid Lake area and that was on Sunday, and that's from the Liberty Fire," she said. "The second is the Rice Ridge Fire where residents on both sides of Highway 83 south of Rice Ridge Road and immediately south of Cotton Lakes Road east of Highway 83, and then extending to the Double Arrow Ranch."

Bassett said officials are trying to contact everyone who lives in those affected areas.

"We always try to make contact again with those residents should we go into a mandatory evacuation order, but if we can't do that, just know that we'll be moving through the area slowly in an emergency vehicle with sirens alternating, and that's your cue to know there's an evacuation order, and it's time to go."

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