From the Friday, August 25, 2006 online edition of the Daily Inter Lake . . .
Fire activity subsided Thursday with cloud cover and lower temperatures, but those in charge of fires in the Flathead area are gearing up for more active burning in days to come.
The Sun Dog Fire on the Whitefish Divide continues to attract the most attention and resources. It is positioned to move east, just as several fires have done in the North Fork Flathead basin during the past five years.
About 20 miles northwest of Columbia Falls at the head of the Coal Creek drainage, the fire last was sized at 430 acres. It has been burning in steep, inaccessible terrain, through sub-alpine fir, spotting ahead and torching groups of trees. Burning debris has been rolling down avalanche chutes, causing the fire to spread, according to fire reports.
But on Thursday, that fire and others in Flathead area were less active than they had been in recent days.
Bucket drops Thursday morning also helped crews keep the fire under control, said Pat McKelvey, a fire information officer assigned to the blaze.
McKelvey said crews are working to create 70-foot fuel breaks along abandoned roads to the north and south boundaries of the fire.
A public meeting to discuss the fire will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Home Ranch Bottoms Store, McKelvey said.
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