Fires shut down

Firefighters continued to shut down fires Monday across Northwest Montana, but there's lightning in the weather forecasts.

The National Weather Service predicted scattered thunderstorms would move across northern Idaho and into southwestern Montana, with a potential to move into Northwest Montana.

A fire weather watch is in effect today and tonight in Northwest Montana because of the potential for dry lightning.

Across the region, however, firefighters continued to make progress on the most significant fires.

There were three fires on the Flathead Indian Reservation over the weekend that contributed to a smoky haze that settled over the Flathead Valley, but some smoke reportedly was coming from fires farther to the west in Idaho and Washington.

Salish-Kootenai tribal firefighters put out a five-acre fire that started Friday between Hot Springs and Dog Lake.

A larger fire - the Irvine Flats fire, near Loon Lake south of Big Arm - started Saturday and burned more than 1,000 acres but was stopped mostly with bulldozer lines. It was considered 100 percent contained by Monday afternoon.

Firefighters pounced on another fire Sunday on the west shore of Flathead Lake near Rocky Point, stopping it at 5 acres.

All three fires were caused by people and are under investigation. The Irvine Flats fire is believed to have been caused by farm machinery, said Germaine White, a tribal public affairs officer.

The Red Eagle fire that has been burning near St. Mary on the east side of Glacier National Park was last estimated to have covered 27,000 acres, but it is now considered 60 percent contained.

The fire burned 12,130 acres in Glacier - a small portion of the 1 million-acre national park - and 14,825 acres on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation.

There was a new fire in the Hubbart Reservoir area west of Kalispell on Monday afternoon, with Montana Department of Natural Resources engines and firefighters responding. The fire had covered just a fraction of an acre by late afternoon.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com.