KNF sees few fire startups

The Kootenai National Forest has received a surprisingly low number of fire starts in the last week given the blistering temperatures.

One person-caused fire in the Fawn Creek area of the Fisher River Drainage was quickly extinguished. The fire, measuring less than one-tenth of an acre, was responded to by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

A second person-caused fire was found on the Troy Ranger District near Lynx Creek, northeast of Troy. The small fire was quickly suppressed.

Two lightning holdover fires on the Libby Ranger District were also found and extinguished, said Neil Nelson, Kootenai National Forest dispatch center manager.

The heli-base at Libby Airport has been on alert and prepared to battle area blazes, Nelson said.

³There¹s been no shortage of equipment, supplies or people at this time,² he said.

A thunderstorm predicted to hit Libby on Sunday slipped by and left the forest unscathed. The wet storm brought scattered lightning in the Missoula area, but spared the Kootenai.

As fires have been relatively infrequent on the Kootenai National Forest, the agency has been able to loan manpower to suppression efforts in Alaska. Nelson said a two-way radio package was also sent north to help the firefighters.

A regional Type-2 team of eight people recently returned home after helping battle blazes in Alaska, Nelson said. A 20-person regional Initial Attack line crew deployed to Alaska continues to assist with suppression efforts.

The immediate weather forecast for Libby and the Kootenai National Forest calls for slightly cooler temperatures and increased wind. With few fires burning, Nelson said the wind should not pose a problem for lightning-caused fires.

³The wind shouldn¹t be a problem, but people need to be careful with the wind as they¹re burning debris,² Nelson said.