Wildfire East of Missoula Triples in Size

The Elevation fire in the Elk Creek area of the Garnet Mountains east of Missoula tripled in size yesterday.

Firefighters slurry bombed the blaze and tried to contain it to 50 acres on Wednesday, but even with four new crews, engines, skidgeons and a bulldozer, the 35 mile-per-hour winds that swept through western Montana on Thursday forced the fire over the containment lines.

The Elevation fire was started by lightning and has grown to around 200 acres. According to fire information officer Cindy Super, the fire is burning "extremely heavy fuels, dead Lodgepole pine and Subalpine fir" and "a red flag warning has been issued."

So far no one has had to be evacuated.