Rainfall helps area wildfire efforts

The small rainfall earlier this week from a summer storm help slow the progression of the area wildifre season.

Officials in the Kootenai National Forest took precautionary steps and wrapped the Gem Peak Lookout and the popular warming hut below the lookout to protect the structures from any fire. The Rampike Fire is burning near Gem Peak in Idaho, and is estimated at 2,000 acres.

Officials wrap the structures in foil to keep sparks and embers from getting in. In 2017, the same action saved the Cougar Peak lookout as the Deep Creek Fire burned over the mountain.

The area around Gem Peak was also closed. Current closure information is available online at inciweb.nwcg.gov.

Air quality in Sanders County improved from unhealthy to moderate earlier this week, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).

The Garden Creek Fire burning on Bureau of Indian Affairs land northwest of Hot Springs was listed at 2,052 acres on Tuesday, with 50 percent containment. That fire started July 29 from a lightning strike.

According to InciWeb, the incident commander confirmed that the fire was secured more than 100 feet in along the perimiter, and were working to secure the perimeter further with engines, water tenders, port-a-tanks and hose lays.

Crews are continuing to patrol the Weeksville Fire between Plains and Thompson Falls. The fire burned approximately 54 acres and started Aug. 10 after a house fire.

According to the Northwest Zone Interagency Fire Coordination Group, Stage II fire restrictions remain in place throughout the area, and the fire danger is likely to remain at Extreme. Northwest Montana continues to

experience critical fire conditions including extremely dry

forest fuels and minimal precipitation.