The Glacier Rim Fire continues to burn as crews work on containing it to keep it away from heavier fuels . . .
A 30-acre wildfire along the North Fork of the Flathead River is still burning today and U.S. Forest Service officials say a Type III management team will be put in place to try and contain it.
The Glacier Rim Fire started shortly after noon on Saturday and grew from less than an acre to more than 30 acres in a matter of hours. The fire forced the closure of the North Fork Road about 11 miles north of Columbia Falls, but today the road has been reopened. However, officials ask that people not stop along the road and to stay out of the way of firefighters in the area.
Flathead National Forest Public Information Officer Ema Braunberger said that at least 50 firefighters were on site early Sunday morning and that more were on the way. She said firefighters hope to build a firebreak around the entire fire today before this afternoon’s record-breaking temperatures arrive. Saturday was the hottest June day on record in Kalispell with the mercury hitting 97 degrees. But that record may not last long as the National Weather Service in Missoula says temperatures could exceed 100 degrees today.
See also: North Fork Road reopened as crews battle Glacier Rim Fire