Howe Fire Is The First 10,000 Acre Fire In Montana This Year

Only one Montana fire has grown to over 10,000 acres in 2018 and, partially because it's in a national park, it's getting a lot of coverage. According to Public Information Officer, Jamie Hart, the Howe fire burning in Glacier National Park, crossed the 10,000 acre mark sometime on Wednesday.

“The Howe Ridge Fire has burned 10,323 acres,” Hart said. “There have been some structures that were lost. We have not lost any additional structures since a big push of the fire on August 14. We do have the Going-to-the-Sun Road open between Saint Mary and Logan Pass, but it is closed between the foot of Lake McDonald and Logan Pass.”

With the Going-to-the-Sun road closed near Lake McDonald, getting through the park can be a bit more difficult on the West Side, but Hart says the public is still coming out.

“It actually adds some interest,” Hart said. “We have had a lot of folks at the Lake McDonald area watching some scoopers that are picking up water and dropping it on the fire. To some degree, it is kind of an interesting thing for people to come and view. Additionally I think if the fire were to increase along the areas that are visible from Lake McDonald that people might come out to see some of the flames. That is kind of an interesting thing at night time.”

There are trail closures in the area of the fire as well as evacuations of some homes nearby. Another area, not too far away is under a pre-evacuation warning.