Wildfires under control, officials say
U.S. Forest Service crews have contained the roughly 30-acre wildfire in the Williams Gulch and Swede Mountain area while Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters have the 14-acre blaze near Lighting Peak under control.
Dan Rose, forest fire manager officer for the Kootenai National Forest, reported on Aug. 21 that crews had established a fire line around the perimeter of the Swede Mountain fire. Two dozers, several engines and water tenders remained onsite last week. A 20-person contract team was brought in on Aug. 20 to supplement the firefighters already battling the blaze.
While no roads or trails are officially closed, Forest Service officials have posted signs on Road 533 asking residents to avoid the area.
An air attack crew spotted the Swede Mountain Fire around 3:30 p.m., Aug. 19. By the day’s end, the Forest Service had about 25 firefighters on the scene that were using engine modules, dozers, a helicopter, an air attack and two single engine air tankers to take on the blaze.
According to a Facebook post by the Forest Service, the fire near Swede Mountain was among eight fires in the area reported on Aug. 19. By the following day, crews had completed or were starting to mop up all fires except the ones near Swede Mountain and Lightning Peak. While the multiple fires occurred after the Kootenai National Forest was hit by 20 lightning strikes on the morning of Aug. 19, Rose said that officials had ruled out lightning as the cause of the Swede Mountain fire.
Logan Sandman, the Libby unit fire management officer for the DNRC, reported on Aug. 21 that 20 firefighters were mopping up the Lighting Peak fire with two engines and two water tenders.
DNRC has not closed any roads but Sandman said firefighters are using heavy equipment on Cow Creek Road.
According to Sandman, 30 firefighters were called in with four engines and four tenders to battle the blaze on Aug. 19. Helicopters and air attack also provided support.
The cause of the Lightning Peak fire was, aptly enough, lightning, according to Sandman.
