WEST GLACIER – The threat of a growing wildfire on the west side of Glacier National Park has prompted officials to evacuate the Lake McDonald Lodge and other parts of the park.
The Howe Ridge fire northwest of Lake McDonald burned actively throughout the night despite Super Scoopers taking water out of Lake McDonald and ground resources hiking in to the scene.
Park and interagency firefighters have been responding to multiple fire starts following lightning activity Saturday and the Howe Ridge fire is one of the blazes that it known to have ignited.
The Park does not have acreage estimates on any of the blazes at this time.
The evacuation order for the Howe Ridge fire includes the Lake McDonald lodge area, the Avalanche Campground and about 55 private residences at the end of Lake McDonald.
Landowners have been notified in person by rangers on Sunday evening while visitors and employees were also notified of the need to evacuate at around 9 p.m.
The south end of Lake McDonald including the Grist Road and Apgar Village are not under evacuation orders, however the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed from Lake McDonald Lodge to Logan Pass.
Visitors are asked to keep the roadways clear to allow for emergency traffic including those evacuating.
The east side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road remains open and Logan Pass is accessible from the St. Mary side of Glacier National Park.
(8.13.18 2nd report)
WEST GLACIER – The threat of a growing wildfire on the west side of Glacier National Park has now prompted officials to evacuate the Lake McDonald Lodge.
An evacuation order issued on Sunday evening has now been expanded to include all businesses and private residences within the Lake McDonald Lodge complex.
Visitors and employees were notified of the need to evacuate at around 9 p.m. The Avalanche Creek Campground and residences along North Lake McDonald Road were notified of the need to evacuate approximately an hour earlier.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road remains closed from Lake McDonald Lodge to Logan Pass.
(first report)
WEST GLACIER – Part of the west side of Glacier National Park is being evacuated due to a nearby wildfire.
The Howe Ridge Fire northwest of Lake McDonald grew on Sunday evening as the blaze was pushed by windy weather.
Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley says that the Going-to-the-Sun Road is closed from Lake McDonald Lodge to Logan Pass. Meanwhile, Avalanche Creek Campground visitors are being evacuated by park rangers.
An evacuation order is now in place for North Lake McDonald Road to Logan Pass, including Avalanche Creek Campground, effective immediately.
Alley says the evacuation impacts about 50 individuals who own private homes, several National Park Service employees residing at the Lake McDonald Ranger Station, and campers at the 87-site Avalanche Creek Campground.
The threatened structures are located at the north end of Lake McDonald. A structure protection team has been requested. The south end of Lake McDonald including the Grist Road and Apgar Village are not under evacuation and Lake McDonald Lodge remains open at this time.
The park has established a Fire Information Line with updated recorded information at (406) 888-7077.
