On Saturday night lightning started a number of small fires in Glacier National Park in Montana. On Sunday, the Howe Ridge Fire exploded to about 2,500 acres and destroyed at least seven private homes and a number of the Park’s historic buildings.
The Howe Ridge Fire started in an area above Lake McDonald last burned by the Robert Fire in 2003.
The latest update (Wednesday morning) from the National Park Service:
Fire behavior increased yesterday yet there was minimal fire growth under smoky skies. The fire is estimated at 2,600 acres. Visibility hampered the CL-215 “Super scoopers” from working on the fire, however the Type I helicopter effectively cooled spot fires slowing the fire’s growth. Ground crews utilized existing trails to create fire breaks, continued to pump water for sprinklers for structure protection, and cooled hot spots at the residences on North Lake McDonald Road. Structure protection continued at remaining buildings at Kelly’s Camp.
The north end of Lake McDonald has been evacuated, including the Lake McDonald Lodge area and the Avalanche campground. The Apgar area is on “Ready” status which entails creating defensible space around structures, assembling emergency supplies and belongings in a safe place, and planning escape routes, and make sure all residents in a home know the plan.
According to the update:
The Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed between the foot of Lake McDonald (near Apgar) and Logan Pass. The road remains open between St. Mary and Logan Pass. Apgar Village, Apgar Campground and Fish Creek campground remain open. Most other areas of the park are open as well.
One of the areas impacted by the fire is the historic Wheeler Camp: see yesterday’s Glacier Park: The Wheeler Camp (Photo Diary)
Also impacted is the historic Lake McDonald Ranger Station: see yesterday’s Glacier Park: The Lake McDonald Ranger Station (Photo Diary)
Shown below is the current webcam view from the Apgar Lookout: