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GARRISON- A wildfire reported on Wednesday afternoon continues to challenge firefighters with poor accessibility, beetle-killed timber, and passing storms bringing wind but little precipitation, according to fire officials.

Paula Short with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation says despite considerable effort by firefighters, the fire, burning along Wet Cottonwood Creek in a Bureau of Land Management wilderness study area, grew from an estimated 25 acres to 40 acres.

The remote location, difficult access, heavy fuel type, and current and predicted weather have all been a concern to fire managers according to Short. There are four helicopters working on the fire, the Lewis and Clark Hotshots, Chief Mountain Hotshots, the Deer Lodge Inmate crew, and 10 smokejumpers.

The Wet Cottonwood Fire is roughly 15 miles north of Garrison Junction with fire personnel accessing the fire via Brock Creek Road.