Residents are being evacuated along the west side of Highway 93 between Owings Creek to Hayes Creek and a Stage 2 evacuation notice is in effect.
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The Red Cross has set up facilities welcoming evacuees at local churches and the county fairgrounds. And please, if you’re asked to leave know that danger is eminent. “A lot of them don’t want to impose for meals, so they just come here to eat a meal”, Ravalli County Disaster Action Team Chair.
“In the seven seasons that I’ve been here, I have never seen a fire take off and burn so quick”.
Tod McKay, spokesman for the Bitterroot National Forest, said, “We don’t know the cause at this point”.
The big development will be arrival of that Type 1 Incident Management Team from the USFS who are scheduled to begin moving in a little later Monday morning.
Stage 2 evacuations then were extended again to portions of Owings Creek on the north and on Gold Creek Loop to Camas Creek Loop on the south.
“Absolutely. I have fire departments from Florence all the way to Sula that responded to assist today, as well as Missoula County has stepped up and they’ve back-filled our stations”.
The Ravalli County Sheriff Office has also issued Stage 1 notifications in the Lost Horse Road area. Stage 1 alerts homeowners that there is a high probability that they may need to evacuate.
It was a hectic day here on Roaring Lion Road just off of Highway 93 near Hamilton after a wildfire roared to life Sunday. She estimated there are about 50 homes on Roaring Lion Road, “probably more”.
Montana Public Radio site is providing updated information for the public, including the map below that shows the full evacuation region.
“When a fire gets going, it’s just going to go”, Caughey said. “We could see it coming so fast”.
As of Sunday night, there were three Hot Shot crews, two engine crews from Darby, and a hand crew from Sula already working on the fire.
Firefighters are being assisted by 5 helicopters, an air tanker, and 3 bulldozers. 500 homes evacuated, some structures have burned.
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The Montana Department of Environmental Quality reported late Sunday afternoon that smoke from the fire was lifting above Hamilton and that air quality was good.
