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DARBY- The Chrandal Creek Fire has seen more growth as it burns on the Montana/Idaho border near the Lost Trail Ski Area. The blaze blew up from 90 to 1,000 acres on July 9th after being pushed by strong winds and fire officials report that as of Wednesday morning the fire had grown to 1,200 acres burned.

There are now 150 personnel including 120 firefighters on the scene. Fire crews include two Type I ‘hotshot' crews from the Lolo and Helena national forests and four helicopters are also working on the blaze which was sparked by lightning and first detected on July 7th. The fire is burning on both the Bitterroot and Salmon Challis National Forests, about 5 miles east of last summer's Saddle Complex fire.

(photo courtesy inciweb.org)

Officials have shutdown trails #184 and #106-Divide Trail, at Montana/Idaho border, in the Bitterroot National Forest and officials are asking the public to avoid using Mine Creek Road #5688 due to heavy fire traffic. Several trails in the neighboring Salmon-Challis National Forest have also been shut down.

The fire is burning in steep and rugged terrain in subalpine fir and beetle killed lodgepole pine.