Lolo Peak Fire Update

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Location: The fire is burning directly west of Lolo Peak between Lantern Ridge on the north and to approximately one mile south of Anderson Creek. It has reached but not crossed the Bitterroot divide on the eastern boundary.

The Firewise Trailer for fire information is located at the Junction of Hwy 12 and Hwy 93, in the Town Pump parking lot. It will be staffed daily.


The public can receive notifications of critical information (emergencies, weather, traffic, etc.) to their mobile device by signing up or downloading the Ravalli County Sheriff’s app (available in both android and iOS format) or logging on to Smart911.com for Missoula County.


Summary: Aerial ignition was used again yesterday to further secure the southeast corner of the fire near the Bitterroot divide. With the winds out of the north/northwest the fire moved west in a slow, backing fire towards South Fork Lolo Creek. In late afternoon, two spot fires were identified, one across Lantern Ridge and one near Duffy Lake, east of the Bitterroot divide. Helicopters were unable to work on them due to the heavy smoke conditions. Today, once the inversion has lifted, air operations plans to focus on these spots with bucket drops. If possible, they will insert firefighters by helicopter into the Duffy Lake area to extinguish that spot fire.



Firefighters using heavy equipment including a dozer, feller buncher, skidder and skidgine will be constructing a control line near the OZ Ranch and from Mill Creek toward the Percell Ranch area. This will include understory removal, limbing of larger diameter trees, and timber removal to reduce fire intensity if the fire approaches the fire line. Crews will work along the Mormon Peak Road (NFSR 612) and construct hand line across the Mormon Creek canyon. Structure assessment will continue in the Hwy 93 and Hwy 12 corridors.



Closures: The Area Closure for the Lolo Peak Fire includes the following roads and trails as well as those encompassed by the area closure intersecting with open roads and trails; Mormon Peak Road (NFSR #612), South Fork Lolo Creek Road (NFSR #2160), Small Creek Road (NFSR #4292), Mill Creek Trail (NFST #1310), Sweeney Trail (NFST #393), and Bass Creek Trail (NFST #4). For specific road and trail closure information please visit the Inciweb website. A temporary flight restriction over the fire area remains in place.



Cooperators: Montana DNRC; Stevensville, Ravalli & Missoula County Government; Ravalli County Sheriff’s Office; Missoula County Sheriff’s Office; Lolo School District; Missoula Rural Fire; Florence VFD; MDOT; Carlton and Bass Lake Irrigation; Florence – Carlton School District; Ravalli and Missoula County DES; Private Landowners.

Fire Information: (406) 273-8316    7am – 9pm

Email: LoloPeakFire@gmail.com
Websites: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5375/ <https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5375/>
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lolonationalforest/ <https://www.facebook.com/lolonationalforest/>
Interactive Fire Map: http://tinyurl.com/yacsw2cv <http://tinyurl.com/yacsw2cv>