![Highest Priority Fire In U.S. is In Missoula County](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2017/08/Rice-Ridge-Fire.jpeg?w=630&h=472&zc=1&s=0&a=t&q=89&w=980&q=75)
Highest Priority Fire In U.S. is In Missoula County
The Rice Ridge Fire burning near the town of Seeley Lake is getting an influx of resources after it was placed at the top of the priority list by the National Interagency Fire Center.
"It's a wildland-urban interface: we have quite a few residents up in the Seeley Lake area, and the proximity to the fire is pretty close, within three miles of the fire, so whenever there is human life and property at risk that bumps up the priority," said Fire Information Officer Mark De Gregorio.
Around 400 homes were flagged to be given an evacuation warning on Tuesday, meanwhile firefighters were focused on creating a barrier between the fire and homes.
"We have active fire on the west and southwest side, which is the side closest to the Seeley Lake area. That's where we put most of our resources in terms of where the aircraft are working, where the ground crews are working, we also have different engines out doing structure protection."
There are no active evacuations on the Rice Ridge Fire yet, just warnings to be prepared. The fire is close to 7,000 acres and growing with zero containment.
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