After the first 48 hours, the mandatory evacuations for residents on Highway 12 due to the Lolo Peak Fire have been going smoothly, according to fire officials.
U.S. Highway 12 has been closed to through traffic starting at mile marker 16, however, there are detours available to all but commercial trucks and RV's.
Two of our family friends own a home just off Highway 12 near Lolo, just one of 140 more homes that have been put on evacuation notice due to the advance of the Lolo Peak Fire.
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office is in the process of sending deputies to over 160 homes on both sides of Highway 12 due to the rapid expansion of the Lolo Peak Fire.
The Missoula County Sheriff and Coroner TJ McDermott is releasing the name of the firefighter who died Wednesday afternoon working on the Lolo Peak Fire as Brent M. Witham, 29, of Mentone, California.
The Missoula County Sheriff's Office reports that a firefighter was killed by a falling tree while working on the Lolo Peak Fire. The man's name and hometown have not yet been released.
Leigh Golding, information officer with the Lolo Peak Fire, reported at about 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday that a firefighter had been injured while working on the fire.