Winds have the Reynolds Creek Fire burning more intensely, but it is still contained . . .
Heavy plumes of smoke towered above the east side of Glacier National Park on Friday afternoon as a patch of fuel burned within the Reynolds Creek Fire.
“It’s mostly burning in the interior, up in the Rose Creek area,” said Nan Stinson, a fire information officer. A spot in the northeastern corner fueled the increased burn. Stinson said that it was a pocket of vegetation up against some rocks.
Smoke rose into the sky and a portion of the plume could be seen from the Flathead Valley.
The National Park Service is seeking information that may assist with an investigation of the Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier National Park.
Initial evidence suggests that the Reynolds Creek Fire was caused by human actions.
Park visitors that were hiking in the area of Reynolds Creek on the Gunsight Pass Trail or that may have been staying in or hiking through the Reynolds Creek Backcountry Campground, from July 14 to July 21, are encouraged to call 888-653-0009 or email nps_isb@nps.gov.
The fire was first reported at approximately 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, July 21, approximately six miles east of Logan Pass. To date, it has burned approximately 3,200 acres.
As progress continues against the Reynolds Creek fire, Logan Pass re-opens for access from the west side of the park . . .
Access to Logan Pass is available to Glacier National Park visitors for the first time since the Reynolds Creek Fire sparked July 22, and as fire crews continue to gain ground on the blaze and shore up its northeast edge, officials have listed the fire at 56 percent contained.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road remains closed on the east side from just beyond the St. Mary Campground to Logan Pass, but beginning at 9 a.m. Wednesday visitors could once again travel to the iconic corridor’s high point from the west side.
Visitors should expect delays and congestion along the road.
Glacier National Park News Release July 26, 2015 5:00 p.m.
For immediate release: We apologize for conflicting information earlier today.
Fire officials have assessed current fire behavior and suppression activity in the Reynolds Creek Fire and announced that the St. Mary Visitor Center at the east entrance to Glacier National Park can reopen on Monday July 27. Hours are from 8 am to 6 pm.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road will remain closed from the St. Mary Visitor Center to Big Bend on the west side of the Divide, a distance of 18 miles. The St. Mary Campground, the Rising Sun Motor Inn, the Rising Sun Campground and Logan Pass are not yet open to the public.
Another day of steady progress against the Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier National Park . . .
Evacuation levels in Glacier National Park are being downgraded as the weather improves and fire crews corral sections of the Reynolds Creek Fire.
Officials with the incident did not report any new growth of the fire on Sunday morning. The blaze, which is burning along the north shore of St. Mary Lake in rocky, rugged terrain, remains listed at 3,158 acres. It is 20 percent contained.
Recent rains have subdued the fire, but it still possesses potential for activity if drier weather conditions return, according to fire officials. Forecasters have said a cold, wet weather system would hit the region Sunday and Monday with possible snow in the higher elevations of Glacier Park.
Reynolds Creek Fire – Smoke Plume Above St. Mary Lake, July 25, 2015
With more than 450 people battling the blaze, crews continue their steady progress against the Reynolds Creek Fire. The biggest concern is forecast high winds . . .
There was little change overnight in the Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier Park, as an elite team of firefighters continued to be aided by weather conditions.
The fire, which started on Tuesday, is currently listed as approximately 3,166 acres, according to a press release issued this morning. More than 450 firefighters and support crew members are assigned to the fire, which has been slowed by cool temperatures and rising humidity.
Helicopters were kept engaged throughout the day Friday, assisting crews on the ground by dropping water on the head of the fire at the northeast perimeter.
Reynolds Creek Fire – Morning Briefing at Incident Command Post
The Daily Inter Lake posted an excellent report on the progress being made by the Type I crew now in place to fight the Reynolds Creek Fire.
Highlights: There are 454 people and a lot of equipment, including some very big helicopters, involved in the effort. The fire is 10% contained, with the emphasis on safety, structure protection and keeping the fire from spotting beyond its current perimeter. The area of the active fire has been reduced to a little more than 3,000 acres . . .
The Reynolds Creek Fire at Glacier National Park is far from under control, but a reduction in total fire size, containment of 10 percent of its perimeter and an expected change in weather are providing a glimmer of hope to fire management officials.
It’s the only wildfire in the country currently being fought by an elite Type I Incident Management Team. Incident commander Greg Poncin, of Kalispell, said Friday that firefighters had brought the fire’s total area to slightly more than 3,000 acres, although the total burned acreage is significantly larger.
He said the primary challenges for his team are the rugged terrain and long-burning, heavy fuels, although the near-continuous daytime winds also haven’t made his job any easier.
The Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier National Park is now up to 5,000 acres (maybe — there’s some debate), a Type I team is now in-place to fight the blaze and Sunday may provide some helpful weather . . .
The Reynolds Creek Fire in Glacier National Park grew another 1,000 acres on Thursday, but there may be favorable weather on the horizon this weekend.
The fire is burning from Reynolds Creek east to Two Dog Flats, about 3 miles from the Park’s eastern boundary.
The National Weather Service is predicting a widespread rain event Sunday evening with snow levels dropping to 8,000 feet over the Park and a 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms.
Posted to the Reynolds Creek Fire InciWeb site . . .
Public Meeting: Friday, July 24, 2015, at the St. Mary Lodge in the Great Bear Conference Room A Public Meeting will be held in St. Mary in the Great Bear Conference Room at the St. Mary Lodge. The meeting will run from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.Fire managers will provide an update on current status of the fire and be available to answer questions.
While we wait for the latest reports on the state of the Reynolds Creek Fire, here’s a good summary of the situation so far . . .
Fueled by high winds and dry conditions, a wildfire is chewing through heavy timber on the east side of Glacier National Park as firefighters and helicopters scramble to contain the blaze that is moving northeast along St. Mary Lake and near Going-to-the-Sun Road.
Roughly 200 personnel and six helicopters are battling the Reynolds Creek Fire, which is burning in a dense, rugged section of forest plagued by beetle kill and a region afflicted with drought conditions. The fire is not contained and remains at 4,000 acres, according to the last estimates from Thursday morning.
A red flag warning was issued Thursday for potentially dangerous weather conditions and extreme fire behavior. Forecasters predicted 20-30 mph wind gusts and low humidity that could cause the wildfire to quickly spread. Relief could arrive this weekend as cool, wet weather sweeps across Northwest Montana, including the high country in Glacier Park.
