Fire officials are starting to allow residents displaced by the Boulder 2700 fire eight miles east of Polson to return to their homes.
Residents north of Mahood Lane up to mile marker 9 will be able to obtain a permit for re-entry beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, federal incident command officials said in a release on Inciweb.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will be issuing permits at the mile marker 2 checkpoint on Highway 35 from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m. Finley Point residents up to Mahood Lane have been able to receive a re-entry permit since Tuesday, Aug. 3, and can also do so at the mile marker 2 checkpoint.
East Shore residents between mile marker 2 and 9 remain in stage 2 (“SET”) evacuation status. Residents should be prepared to evacuate in the event fire activity increases. All homes from mile marker 9 to mile marker 13.5 remain in stage 3 (“GO”) evacuated status due to hazards and fire concerns in the area.
Highway 35 is closed to through traffic in both directions from Polson at the Highway 93/35 junction to Blue Bay mile marker 15. The speed limit has been lowered to 35 mph within the closure area.
The fire, which started July 31, is estimated 1,922 acres and is 16 percent contained as of Saturday. The cause is under investigation.
Eight primary structures and 15 secondary structures have been destroyed in the fire.
Visit Inciweb or the Boulder 2700 fire Facebook page for more information.
