Garceau Fire dies as Chippy Creek explodes

By Ethan Smith and

Matt Ellermann

Local fire crews are mopping up the remnants of the Garceau Fire this week, while the Chippy Creek Fire northwest of Plains took off, casting a smoky haze over the reservation as residents in three counties were put on an evacuation alert.

Tribal Law and Order officers and Sheriff's deputies in Lake, Sanders and Flathead counties notified residents near the Chippy Creek fire complex that they might have to leave their homes Tuesday, although evacuations weren't mandatory at that time. All told, several dozen homes were affected.

In Lake County, residents in the Irvine Loop Road and Western Burton Road areas were put on evacuation notice Tuesday afternoon. The county's search and rescue team joined deputies and Tribal officers in notifying residents of the possibility that the fire could threaten their homes. Torching and spotting in trees was visible all weekend from many areas west of Polson, while residents throughout the county watched huge smoke plumes grow last week, as the fire spread by thousands of acres a day.

Fire officials can't say what caused the 40,000-plus acre wildfire about 35 miles northwest of Plains, which started last Tuesday, and is still spreading.

The Chippy Creek Fire has produced a plume of smoke that has been visible from as far as Kalispell and Missoula, and has created unsafe air quality around the reservation.

On a positive note, Confederated Salish and Kootenai fire crews are mopping up the last few hundred acres of the Garceau Fire, which is considered to be 93 percent contained, with about 3,045 acres burned.

"What we're doing is heavy mop up, just going through the burned areas completely and making sure there's no more smoke or fire," said Rich Janssen, CSKT fire information officer. "By the end of this week, it should be considered contained and under control."

Two tribal crews of 20 people each are working on the Garceau Fire, aided by three engines, a water tender, and a couple of skidgines — combination logging skidders and fire engines — are being used.

Tribal fire crews took over the effort after working with a Type II Northern Rockies Incident Management team, which turned responsibility over to the local level late last week.

While fire managers have taken control of the Garceau Fire, firefighting efforts at the Chippy Creek complex have been hampered by rugged and steep terrain, said Shawn Thomas, the acting unit manager of Montana's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. The lack of access roads in and around the area has also been a factor. The fire was initially reported shortly before 2 p.m. last Tuesday, July 31, by a Tricon Timber contractor, who was conducting logging operations in the area. At its original discovery, officials estimated the fire had consumed between 30 to 40 acres of heavily timbered land.

Within 30 minutes, three engines and a water tender that had been based at the Bend Ranger station approximately 10 miles away arrived on the scene. The three 20-man crews started firefighting efforts immediately but discovered the fire had increased to a size of 100 acres.

State rental and privately owned cabins within a few miles south and west were threatened, said Thomas, but are no longer considered at risk.

The initial attack also included aircraft based in Plains. Two heavy helicopters, a medium helicopter, two single engine air attack airplanes, and one heavy attack aircraft, dropped water and retardant on and around the fire in an attempt to slow its progress.

High afternoon winds quickly spread the fire in an easterly direction to around 500 acres before 9 p.m. Tuesday, said Paula Rosenthal, a DNRC public information officer for the incident.

Sometime Tuesday night, July 31, the fire had crossed onto U. S. Forest Service property. By Friday, the higher temperatures in the afternoon caused the fire to grow from 7,000 acres to 36,140 acres, encroaching onto the Flathead Indian Reservation. Because the fire is now burning within the boundaries of the different agencies, it is now considered a joint response fire.

DNRC made requests on Wednesday, Aug. 1, for additional resources from other areas to be sent in to assist the firefighting efforts. Two hot shot crews were mobilized and by late Thursday afternoon the Smokey Bear Hot Shot crew based in Ruidoso, N.M., had arrived. The crews were quickly briefed on the situation and the terrain involved and were set to work establishing fire lines. On Friday, the Tatanka Hot Shot crew from Custer, S.D., arrived on the scene, joining the firefighting efforts. An additional two helicopters have also joined the battle.

The Southwest Incident Management Team assumed command of the fire on Friday evening, said Bernie Pineda, public information officer. The team from Tucson, Ariz., is a multi-agency task force comprised of various federal agencies. As of press time, there were 14 engines, six 20-man crews, for a total of 324 personnel assigned to the fire, stated Pineda.

Cooler temperatures on Sunday allowed the firefighters to take the offensive. Attempts were made to establish bulldozer lines further ahead of the fire's eastern flank. A air inversion slowed — compared to the past four days — the growth of the fire to an estimated 40,000 acres. The plans are to finish the dozer lines on the eastern side with the 12 dozers that are tasked to the team.

All roads in and near the eastern side of the fire are closed as a precautionary measure, said Public Information Officer Bob Dyson, to allow the fire trucks unrestrained access.

There are about 350 residences in the Lonepine area, due east of the fire, which are considered threatened, said Pineda. No evacuation orders have been given but the residents have been notified, and should make the necessary precautionary arrangements should the order be given, said Pineda. A public meeting was held in Hot Springs on Monday to help keep the public informed of the ever changing conditions of the fire. Residents can call a fire information number to get updates on the Chippy Creek fire. That number is (406) 826-9004 or 826-9009.

The fire is considered to be 5 percent contained as of Tuesday.