Posted: Jul 20, 2012 7:11 AM by KPAX News Staff
Updated: Jul 20, 2012 7:11 AM
MISSOULA- Firefighters made good progress on what's being called the Twin Lakes fire that's burning about 10 miles north of Missoula overnight.
A pilot spotted smoke about 2 p.m. on Thursday and called it in and Lolo National Forest spokesperson Boyd Hartwig says smokejumpers got on the fire fast, and once they got on the ground, noticed it was torching and spotting.
He added that helicopter drops were effective in calming things down, but crews stayed on the scene overnight. Fire officials are now bracing for predicted strong winds Friday and were hoping to get the blaze out as before the storm front moves in.
Hartwig says lightning sparked the Twin Lakes fire and it's burning in an area not accessible by roads on the boundary between the Rattlesnake Recreation Area and the wilderness.
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