WISDOM — Three new fires ignited by lightning are burning in Beaverhead County, adding to an already intense firefighting effort in the area.
The new fires sparked Thursday afternoon near the Sand Creek Fire. The Skull Fire has already burned about 43 acres. Helicopters dropped water on the new Boot Fire Thursday.
The Sand Creek Fire has burned nearly 34,000 acres southeast of Wisdom and is currently 11 percent contained. The nearby Bobcat Lakes Fire has burned more than 10,000 acres and is 40 percent contained.
More than 650 firefighters are working to stop the flames. Crews are building a shaded fuel break along the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway, thinning trees and vegetation to create a control line between the two large fires. Firefighters are also using drones to ignite small fires to help secure the southern edge of the Bobcat Lakes Fire.
Gusty winds paused some controlled burns Thursday. Crews plan to resume those burns Friday if weather allows. Increased cloud cover and possible rain could help calm the flames, but wind gusts up to 28 miles per hour could push the fire in exposed areas.
The Dingley Zone in the Grasshopper Valley remains under a GO evacuation order. The Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway remains closed to traffic. Firefighters will continue building fire lines Friday to protect private property.
Investigators are still working to determine what caused the Sand Creek and Bobcat Lakes fires.
