Small fire causes big headache at Sperry Chalet in Glacier

A small fire is causing big problems for some backcountry travelers in Glacier Park. While the Park has reopened most of its backcountry campgrounds after fire danger prompted closure last week, the coveted Sperry Chalet and campground remains closed due to fire danger and could remain closed for the rest of the summer.

The region saw severe thunderstorms on Aug. 10 that resulted in several small fires in the Park. The Sprague Fire is the largest fire in Glacier, at 101 acres. It’s burning on a ridge above the Crystal Ford on the flank of Mount Edwards.

While the fire doesn’t currently threaten any structures, the Park closed the Sperry Trail and the Sperry Chalet last week. Thirty-nine guests hiked out via the Gunsight Pass Trail, but three who didn’t think they could hike the longer route were airlifted out by helicopter, Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley said.

Alley said Park staff remain at the chalet complex, as do the chalet employees.

There are 13 firefighters on the fires in the Park, with seven at the Sprague Fire. Helicopters initially dropped water on the blaze, but now the Park is using a “confine and contain” strategy, as the fire spread Monday. It’s burning in steep terrain and could burn the remainder of the summer, the Park concedes, until the area gets a major rain or snow event. Prevailing winds could eventually run the fire into the rocky terrain near Snyder Lake. Firefighter safety is overall concern, Glacier said Monday and resources are spread thin due the number of fires in the region.

Sunday was cool and wet. Columbia Falls saw .06 inches of rain, but West Glacier recorded a paltry .02 inches — barely enough to keep down the dust.

The thunderstorm last Thursday brought a brief, heavy rain in Glacier, but not enough to put out the fires it started.

Currently the Howe Ridge Trail, Camas Trail, Trout Lake Trail, the Gunsight Pass Trail from Lake McDonald to Gunsight Pass (including all secondary trails such as the Snyder Lake Trail), and the Lincoln Lake Trail are all closed. Backcountry campgrounds in those areas are closed as well.

In the North Fork, the Cyclone Lake Fire burned about 36 acres on the Coal Creek State Forest. Three helicopters dropped water on the lightning-caused blaze when it flared up Saturday afternoon. Crews are working on bulldozing and cutting lines around the fire. It was listed as 10 percent contained. The fire started in mature timber, but then burned into previously burned areas from fires in 2000 and 2001. Folks are asked to avoid Forest Road 909 to the junction of Road 317 to avoid conflicts with fire trucks and personnel on the narrow dirt road.

There are also new fires west of Kalispell. The largest is the Tamarack Fire near the Fisher River, at 300 acres. The Gibralter Ridge Fire south of Eureka was just under 2,000 acres. The Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake was so bad with smoke last week that people were told to evacuate because the air wasn’t safe to breathe. That fire is more than 11,000 acres.

Another fire of note is the Blue Bay Fire about 10 miles north of Polson. That fire isn’t very large — about 50 acres — but it’s burning right above Flathead Lake on the east side and is very visible.

Another visible fire is smoking on Piegan Mountain in Glacier Park. That one is in rocky terrain, less than an acre, with little potential for growth. It’s too steep and treacherous to put a crew on, and helicopters could knock rocks on the highway, so Park officials have decided to let it go for now, Alley said. There’s another small fire, about 2 acres, on Rogers Peak in Glacier. Crews continue to work on that small blaze in a remote area of the Park near Trout Lake. Another Fire, the Adair Peak Fire near Logging Lake will be allowed to burn. It’s in remote country and could see growth in the next week. It was less than an acre.

This week the weather should be slightly cooler, but will remain dry and breezy, the National Weather Service is warning.