WeatherWildfire Watch

Actions

Fires near Lincoln have burned thousands of acres

Posted at 8:02 AM, Jul 22, 2017
and last updated 2018-09-10 23:14:27-04

Several miles north of Lincoln, the Park Creek Fire has burned more than 2,700 acres.

The nearby Arrastra Creek Fire has burned more than 2,000 acres.

Lincoln residents say they know living with fire is a reality in the small mountain town.

"We had a fire here quite a while back, and it scared me pretty good I had all my stuff packed in boxes ready to get the heck out if I had too, “said Linda Haskins, Lincoln resident.

“We live about 3 miles from town, it’s time to enjoy the river and go fishing but instead we are smelling smoke, I’m confident they will get the fire out but it will take a long long time though,” said Bud Williams, Lincoln resident.

Lincoln resident Bud Williams tells said he knows there are good firefighters trying to check the fires growth.

“We learn to be pretty resilient in Lincoln Montana we went from earth quakes to fires in a short period of time,” said Bud Williams, Lincoln resident.

The Park Creek and the Arrastra creek fires are in dense forests with a large number of snags and beetle killed trees.

Dangerous conditions for ground crews.

“For Montana to experience these types of fires this time of year were usually a couple of weeks to a month before these types of fires happen so we’re experiencing some extreme conditions due to dryness right now,” said Mike Davin, deputy planning chief for Lincoln fires.

Mike Davin said fire crews have created a buffer, so that if the fires do reach the roads close to town, they will be able to successfully tackle the flames.

Helicopters are playing a key role in fire suppression.

"With the large fires the agencies forest service has called us in and support the fire as well as the community and the private lands,” said Mike Davin, Deputy planning chief for Lincoln fires.

Click here for the latest information on the fires.