Crews Fighting Wildfires Concerned About Threat Of Wind

Tuesday, August 7th 2007, 7:30 am

By: News On 6

SEELEY LAKE, Mont. (AP) _ Firefighters were warned that high wind could put them in danger Tuesday as they fought to protect this resort town from a wildfire that has prompted evacuation of nearly 700 homes, a fire commander said.

More than 22 square miles of forest has been blackened since the blaze started Friday about 50 miles northeast of Missoula.

A return of higher wind could push the fire eastward toward the town, said Glen McNitt, incident commander for the fire.

``It has the potential to burn into Seeley Lake and the surrounding area,'' McNitt said. ``Wind is our biggest concern right now.''

The National Weather Service forecast westerly wind of 8 to 12 mph Tuesday with gusts to 25 mph, accompanied by falling humidity.

``We're trying to build lines ahead of the fire because the town is in the way and people's homes,'' said Ricardo Zuniga, a fire information officer.

However, firefighters were reminded at a briefing Tuesday morning that their lives were more important than property.

``No heroics, OK?'' said Steve Wallace, with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. ``When you get the word to pull out, pull out.''

``Your safety is going to determine what we can and can't do out here,'' McNitt said.

Safety officer Scott Bates told firefighters that escape routes were marked with pink flags. ``There are so many roads _ you can take a wrong road,'' he said.

One house has been destroyed and another damaged.

The 675 homes evacuated are outside Seeley Lake, which has not been evacuated. Seeley Lake, an unincorporated town, is estimated at 5,000 people in the summer, with about a fifth that number in winter.

More than a dozen large wildfires were active in Montana.

North of Plains, about 60 miles northwest of Missoula, some 50 rural homes were ordered evacuated in the path of a 43,200-acre fire, said information officer Bob Dyson.

``This is in anticipation of some extreme fire behavior this afternoon due to high winds and low humidities,'' Dyson said.

South of Missoula, an evacuation order had been issued for 37 homes near Darby, and evacuation warnings were given to residents of 47 other homes, Ravalli County officials said.

Lower temperatures, higher humidity and favorable wind in California on Tuesday were helping crews battling a blaze in Santa Barbara that started more than a month ago.

Evacuation orders remained in effect for a handful of areas, though southwesterly wind was moving the fire into wilderness and away from populated areas, U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Marian Kadota said.

The wildfire, in mountainous Los Padres National Forest about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has covered about 69,000 acres, roughly 108 square miles. It was 68 percent contained but was so big it might not be fully contained for another month.

Elsewhere, a forest fire on Michigan's Upper Peninsula had grown to 15,400 acres, or more than 22 square miles, on Tuesday and officials began ordering evacuations near the community of Pine Stump Junction, said the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Some 200 people were expected to be removed from homes in the area, and dozens of campers voluntarily left the area, authorities said. No injuries were reported and no structures had been damaged. The fire started last Thursday, probably ignited by lightning, the DNR said.