HAMILTON โ Crews are working on a half-dozen new wildfires that have been confirmed on the Bitterroot National Forest.
There was active lightning on the forest from Darby north on Wednesday.
Crews are continuing to patrol and investigate smoke reports, and identify and respond to wildfires that may be smoldering from recent storms.
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However, fire managers note oftentimes, smoke is not visible until the next day or later, occasionally even weeks after a lightning strike.
In addition to the newly confirmed fires, smoke from the Dixie Fire is expected to continue to impact the Bitterroot Valley.
There have been 31 wildfires on the Bitterroot Nationa Forest to date. Fire officials note 13 were human-caused and 18 of the fire were sparked by lightning.
The fire danger was raised to "very high" on the Bitterroot National Forest earlier this week.
Newly confirmed fires:
- ๐ง๐ต๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐ด๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: 1/10 acre, lightning-caused fire. Fire is currently contained and controlled. Initial attack resources included 3 firefighters and a helicopter for water drops. Firefighters are continuing mop-up on Thursday.
- ๐๐น ๐๐ฎ๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: 1/10 acre, caused by lightning. Initial attack resources included 2 firefighters and a helicopter for water drops. Fire is currently contained and in mop-up status.
- ๐๐ถ๐๐๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: 1/2 acre, lightning-caused. Initial attack resources included 8 firefighters and helicopters for water drops. Firefighters will complete line construction and begin mop-up on Thursday.
- ๐ง๐ผ๐ผ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: 1/10 acre, caused by lightning. Fire is currently contained and controlled.
- ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: 1/4 acre, lightning-caused. Initial attack resources included 4 firefighters and a helicopter for water drops. The fire is currently contained and firefighters will continue mop-up on Thursday.
- ๐ง๐๐ผ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐ ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ (BRF-21168): 1/4 acre, lightning-caused fire. Initial attack resources included 2 firefighters and helicopters for water drops. Firefighters will complete line construction and begin mop-up on Thursday.
Previously report fires:
- ๐ช๐ผ๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ (BRF-21122): 20 acres. The lightning-caused fire is currently contained and controlled. It remains in patrol status.
- ๐๐ถ๐ ๐ถ๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ต๐ผ: The smoke that is visible across the southern Bitterroots is from the Dixie Fire on the Nez Perce-Clearwater National Forest in Idaho near the community of Dixie. The estimated size is currently 7,000 acres. Click here for the latest information.
- ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ธ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ธ ๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ฒ: The helicopter provided support to the Lavek Creek Fire near Cinnabar Point on the Lolo National Forest with water drops on Wednesday morning. The fire is ยฝ acre and staffed with firefighters from the Lolo Nationa Forest. Smoke may be visible from the Stevensville area.
