Libby evacuation orders rescinded
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office has rescinded Saturday's evacuation order for Lower Granite Lake Road, Granite Creek Road, Willow Road, Prospect Creek Road, Winchester Drive and Granite Lake Road. Residents evacuated from those areas are able to return to their homes as of 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.
The area is considered to still be under a pre-evacuation notice, along with all residences and businesses west of U.S. Highway 2 from Pearl Street up to and including Bear Creek Road. The area also includes all residences on Snowshoe Road south of Hogan Drive. An additional pre-evacuation notice is still in effect for all residences along the Highway 56 corridor south of and including Angel Island along the east and west shore of Bull Lake from mile marker 14.5 to mile marker 20.5 on Highway 56, including all residences in the Bull Lake Estates and Wilderness View Estates.
With the recall of the Granite Creek area evacuations, there are currently no evacuations in effect in Lincoln County.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is encouraging all residents in the pre-evacuation area to remain on alert and ready to evacuate should such action become necessary.
"Residents are asked to remain vigilant and ready to evacuate in the coming days as warmer weather will increase fire activity again," Sheriff Roby Bowe released in a press statement Sunday. "Pre-evacuation residents should have a plan in place to be evacuated if notified by the Sheriff's Office. Cooler weather has influenced fire behavior and lessened the threat of the Klatawa fire. Overall cooler conditions will transition slowly to warmer temperatures over the next week. High temperatures will not be as warm as previous days but will trend upwards as the region remains under the influence of a low pressure system."
Lincoln County emergency management personnel advise county residents to sign up for the CodeRED notification system used by the county to disseminate emergency information. Residents can access the system on the county's website at www.lincolncountymt.us.