Sprague Fire spreads closer to Sperry

The Sprague Fire grew to more than 1,300 acres in Glacier National Park over the past week, growling on the flanks of Lincoln Peak as it continues to spread. Lincoln Peak is just to the south of Sperry Chalet, but the fire wasn’t to the chalet by Tuesday.

The fire perimeter is estimated to have grown approximately 140 acres on Tuesday and is now 1,364 acres.

On Tuesday, a helicopter dropped 35,000 gallons of water to slow fire growth in the Snyder Creek drainage. The fire has not crossed Snyder Creek. Firefighters plan to continue dropping water in this area using water from Fish Lake.

Firefighters are staged at Sperry Chalet and they’ve put sprinklers, a water tank and other fire protection in place. Sperry is in a mix of rocks and trees, perched at the base of Gunsight Mountain.

The Mount Brown Lookout is also wrapped with protective material, though the fire isn’t actively burning on Mount Brown. Sperry Chalet and its associated trails and campgrounds are closed.

The bulk of Glacier Park, including the full length of the Going-to-the-Sun Road, remains open. Most of the Park is fairly clear of smoke.

Just under 100 firefighters and support staff are assigned to the fire. They’ve set up sprinkler lines at Crystal Ford to stop the fire from going west. The fire crossed the Gunsight Pass Trail beyond the ford, between the Snyder Ridge Trail Junction and Sperry Chalet.

East of the Park on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, the Wolverine Fire was 3,000 acres near Duck Lake. The fire was sparked Aug. 17 by a 7-year-old child playing with a lighter, KRTV reported. The fire burned down a trailer and then spread. No one was injured.

Several other fires continue to burn in the region.

- The Rice Ridge Fire near Seeley Lake is now 15,947 acres.

- The Gibralter Ridge Fire south of Eureka is now 3,554 acres.

- The Tamarack Fire near Pleasant Valley is now 407 acres and 60 percent contained.

- In the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Scalp Fire, about 3 miles south of Gooseberry Cabin, is about 112 acres on Bow Mountain. The Dolly Varden Fire near Dolly Varden Creek, south of Schafer Meadows, is 48 acres. Trails are closed near the Dolly Varden fire.

The weather could get worse before it gets better. High winds were expected Wednesday into Thursday, with a chance of more thunderstorms and some light rain. The weather then dries out after that, with a return to warm weather into early next week.

Fire conditions and trail closures are updated daily at inciweb.nwcg.gov