Evacuations ordered in Granite Creek area

An evacuation notice has been issued for less than 20 residents of Lower Granite Lake Road, Granite Creek Road, Willow Road, Prospect Creek Road, Winchester Drive and Granite Lake Road.  Officials ask all residents to be out of their homes by 1:00pm today, August 29, 2015.

Pre-evacuation notice has been issued for all residents and businesses west of Highway 2, south of Pearl Street near Atkins South Gas Station (which includes Woodland Heights subdivision off of Snowshoe Road) down to Bear Creek Road.

Pre-evacuation and evacuation notices are being coordinated by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

A public meeting will be held tonight at the Libby Senior High School, 150 Education Way, Libby, MT 59923 at 7:00 p.m.

A Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team assumed command of several fires on the Kootenai National Forest on August 23 and will manage them as the Goat Rock Complex under the command of Chuck Russell. 

Klatawa (KNF): 1,932 acresVimy (KNF): 3 acres

Berray Mtn. (KNF): 1,705 acres         Chippewa (KNF): 231 acres                           

Pine Ridge (KNF): 47 acres                Poplar Point (KNF): 530 acres

Dad Fire (KNF): 44 acres

The Goat Rock Complex is approximately 4,492 acres and is a collection of the following fires: (some acres are estimated due to inaccessibility of the fires and smoke hampering aviation mapping operations)

Yesterday’s Activities: The Klatawa fire grew to the south.  The fire crossed Granite Creek to the south and pushed upslope to the top of Mount Snowy.  Klatawa also pushed into Horse Creek in the northeast.  Crews remained in the area overnight patrolling the fire.  Additional engines have been ordered and will start arriving soon to support wildland firefighters already working.  

The Berray fires have combined into one fire which continues to actively back down to Hwy. 56.  The fires edge has reached Forest Road 410 on the northeast side.

The Vimy, Dad Fire, Pine Ridge, Chippewa, and Poplar Point fires continue to burn, but are not threatening valued resources or structures at this time.