Fire Near Glacier National Park Up to 80 Acres
Last Saturday, a small fire started in a gravel pit just outside of Glacier National Park. The fire, which was human caused, has now burned over 80 acres of land, most of it just outside of Glacier National Park boundaries. As of this writing, the fire is about 25-30% contained, as firefighters continue to battle the quickly-expanding blaze.
The fire was determined to have started because of humans, however, at this time no specific details as to the fire’s cause have been reported. The blaze began on Saturday afternoon in a gravel pit along the Flathead River, and quickly spread to over 30 acres by Sunday. As of Monday morning, the fire had reached over 80 acres in the Flathead National Forest, approximately 11 miles above North Fork Road.
At this time, no structures were threatened, and the fire has not yet entered into Glacier National Park. However, with extremely high temperatures (above 100 degrees) and thunderstorms in the forecast this week, officials are worried that sudden changes could lead to the fire affecting the park in the next few days. Accordingly, authorities have upgraded the fire to a Type 3 Incident, sending for extra resources and reinforcements from surrounding fire departments.
Over 50 firefighters and several helicopters were involved in the effort on Monday, with even more manpower expected to join the cause until the fire is completely contained. The fire is burning along the same lines as the devastating 2003 Robert Fire, so spread is easier due to large numbers of dead trees.
The fire, named the Glacier Rim Fire, is not an imminent threat to the park, and many areas in Glacier National Park remain open for the time being. However, with the risk of the fire and incredibly hot weather, park officials are urging park visitors to take extra precautions this week.
Fortunately, the Glacier Rim Fire is being contained decently well, so the risk of major damage to Glacier National Park remains low. Make sure to follow this story for the latest updates about both the fire and Glacier National Park, particularly if you are planning to visit any time soon.
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