Howe Ridge Fire will see investigation
A burnout south of Howe Lake in this stand of larch burned the understory of trees, but most of the larch should survive. Larch have a thick protective bark that makes them fire resistant.
The Howe Ridge Fire will undergo a greater investigation, Glacier Park spokeswoman Lauren Alley confirmed recently.
After fires, particularly in cases where property losses or accidents occur, fire managers will often complete “lessons learned” reports, detailing what went right and what went wrong with an incident.
While there were no life-threatening injuries in the Howe Ridge Fire, 13 residences, including most of Kelly’s Camp along Lake McDonald, burned down and an additional 14 other structures were lost.
To date, the fire has cost $13.1 million to fight and is listed at 14,522 acres and more than 70 percent contained. The Park Service has installed a gate at North Lake McDonald Road to restrict access to the area.
The fire also forced the closure of the west side of the Going-to-the-Sun Road for about a month in the prime tourist season. This was the second summer in a row Glacier saw a large fire near the west side of the Sun Road. Last summer, the Sprague Fire burned the south side of the road up Sprague Creek. That fire, also about 15,000 acres, gutted the Sperry Chalet. A lessons learned report on that fire noted that fire managers thought they could have contained it when it was relatively small, but the Hot Shot crews weren’t available as there were fires raging across much of Montana and the West.
The Park Service is currently rebuilding the chalet at an estimated cost of $12 million.
Recent rains and colder weather have helped quell the Howe Ridge Fire.
By the end of the week, the fire will transition leadership teams from a Type 2 team down to a type 4 team, which is local control.
The fire hasn’t shown much activity, though some spots are still smoldering and putting up smoke.
The Sun Road has reopened to private vehicles on the west side. The National Weather Service is forecasting rain and snow for the park by Friday with highs in the 30s and 40s. Snow at higher elevations could close the Sun Road again, if it comes to fruition. Snow levels could drop to 4,000 feet. The park typically closes the Sun Road at higher elevations if snow and ice accumulates on it.
In the past week, West Glacier has seen .25 inch of rain.
The Boundary Fire, at the north end of the park near Goat Haunt is now 2,911 acres and is 82 percent contained.