The Elmo Fire experienced minimal growth yesterday of 129 acres for a total of 21,327 acres and containment increased to 30%.

Evacuations

·  Pre-evacuation warnings have been lifted for residents east of Hwy 93 between Chief Cliff Lane and Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352).

·  Evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of Chief Cliff Lane and Black Lake Road (remain under pre-evacuation warning).

·  Evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of Big Meadows Road and Dayton Creek Road (remain under pre-evacuation warning).

·  Evacuation orders remain in effect for residents west of intersection of Lake Mary Ronan Rd (Hwy 352) and Dayton Creek Rd.

·  Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352) is closed at the Dayton Creek Road intersection.

·  Arterial roads off Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352) are open to residents only. This DOES NOT include roads west of Dayton Creek Road which are still under Evacuation Order. Speed limits are reduced to 35 mph on Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352).

·  The Proctor dump is open to Lake County residents.

Area Closures and Restrictions

·       The Flathead Indian Reservation Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes and Lake County are currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions.

·       The Boat Ramp at the Elmo Fishing Access Site and Lake Mary Ronan State Park are CLOSED.  

Current and Planned Activity

Yesterday, reduced winds and lower temperatures along with aviation support allowed firefighters to improve line around the north side of the fire and achieve increased containment. New containment occurred south of Cromwell Creek on the west side of the fire and east of Black Lake on the east side of the fire. Crews worked through last night, patrolling and improving line as needed.

Today’s warmer and drier conditions may increase fire activity. Firefighters will remain engaged strengthening containment lines as they extinguish areas of heat up to 120 feet into the interior. South of Lake Mary Ronan, crews will add hoses and pumps to make water more available for securing firelines. Small firing operations may be necessary to address unburned fuels that pose a risk to the fireline.

Weather: Sunday’s weather is warm and dry with light diurnal winds and temperatures in the mid 80s to low 90s. Expect low afternoon humidity and no precipitation in the long-term forecast.

Next Public Meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 8th at 7:00 pm at the Elmo Pow Wow Grounds – Hwy 93.

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Edit: 8.6.22 at 4:00 PM - Clarification: Arterial roads open to residents off Lake Mary Ronan (Hwy 352) DO NOT include roads west of Dayton Creek Road which are still under Evacuation Order.

Updates from the Lake County Sherriff’s Office on evacuations and closures in effect at 12:00 PM on Saturday, August 6, 2022.

• Pre-evacuation warnings have been lifted for residents east of Hwy 93 between Chief Cliff Lane and Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352).

• Evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of Chief Cliff Lane and Black Lake Road. These areas will remain under pre-evacuation warning.

• Evacuation orders have been lifted for residents of Big Meadows Road and Dayton Creek Road. These areas will remain under pre-evacuation warning.

• Evacuation orders are still in effect for residents west of the intersection of Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352) and Dayton Creek Road.

• Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352) is closed at the Dayton Creek Road intersection.

• Arterial roads off Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352) are open to residents only. Speed limits will be reduced to 35 mph on Lake Mary Ronan Road (Hwy 352).

• The Proctor dump will open to Lake County residents at 12:00 to 7:00 PM on Saturday, August 6, 2022.

• Closures remain in effect for the Boat Ramp at the Elmo Fishing Access site and Lake Mary Ronan State Park.

 The Elmo Fire experienced minimal growth yesterday of 16 acres for a total of 21,198 acres. The fire remains south of Lake Mary Ronan and containment increased to 18%. Despite a continuous line around the fire perimeter, significant work is needed to secure the line and ensure areas of heat remain interior.

Public Meeting – Friday, August 5th at 7:00 pm

Elmo Pow Wow Grounds – Hwy 93

The Elmo Fire experienced limited growth yesterday of 566 acres for a total of 21,182 acres. Firefighters kept the fire south of Lake Mary Ronan and containment increased to 15% as firefighters cleaned up fireline around the perimeter.

Evacuations

The evacuation order remains in place for all residents residing north and south of Hwy 352 (Lake Mary Ronan Road) and all residents who live along Lake Mary Ronan. All prior evacuation orders and pre-evacuation warnings are still effect.

Area Closures and Restrictions

• The Boat Ramp at the Elmo Fishing Access Site and Lake Mary Ronan State Park are CLOSED.
• The Flathead Indian Reservation Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes and Lake County are currently under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions.

Current and Planned Activity

Yesterday, high winds and low humidity increased fire activity on portions of the Elmo Fire. Despite these conditions, firefighters effectively held the fire south of Lake Mary Ronan due to preparation over the last few days and the ability to engage directly on the edge of the fire. Aircraft support was critical to yesterday’s success as scooper planes with nearby water sources supported crews in slowing the fire as it backed down hill towards Lake Mary Ronan. Crews worked overnight aided by an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS/drone) to locate areas of heat and secured the section of the fire around the meadow to the east, the roadway on the south shore of Lake Mary Ronan, and improved dozer lines and former roadbeds to the west. Secondary line was constructed southwest of Lake Mary Ronan in addition to the direct line at the fire’s edge. All other areas of the fire held within the current footprint.

Today, crews and equipment will be supported by aircraft as they reinforce and secure lines around the most active sections of the fire south of Lake Mary Ronan. Firefighters on the eastern and western sides of the fire remain critical to limiting fire growth, securing lines as active fire along the edge still exists. Continuous firelines are holding near Cromwell Creek to the west and structure protection resources remain in place on the east side. The southern edge along Highway 28 remains contained and in patrol status.

Weather: Winds will decrease throughout the day, initially coming from the southwest and slowly shifting east, northeast at 5-10 mph. Mostly sunny with temperatures in the 70s to low 80s. Low afternoon humidity and no precipitation in the long-term forecast.

Evening Update: High winds and low humidity increased fire activity on the northern sections of the Elmo Fire as expected. Crews positioned south of Lake Mary Ronan were successful in limiting fire growth as scooper planes dropped approximately 600,000 gallons of water to slow the fire approaching the lake from the ridge. This allowed crews to improve the control lines and secure sections of the fire edge while also mitigating and preparing around structures.

8.4.22 - 10:00 AM

Per Lake County Sheriff's Office, Lake Mary Ronan Road is CLOSED to ALL traffic for fire personnel to safely conduct operations.

Public Meeting – Friday, August 5th at 7:00 pm
 Elmo Pow Wow Grounds – Hwy 93

The Elmo Fire increased approximately 2,000 acres for a current size of 20,616 acres and 6% contained. Consistent winds out of the southwest, low humidity and continuous fuels created significant fire activity on the north end of the fire pushing the perimeter towards the southeast shore of Lake Mary Ronan and approaching Camp Tuffit Road.

Evacuations

The evacuation order remains in place for all residents residing north and south of Hwy 352 (Lake Mary Ronan Road) and all residents who live along Lake Mary Ronan. All prior evacuation orders and pre-evacuation warnings are still in effect.

Area Closures and Restrictions

• The Boat Ramp at the Elmo Fishing Access Site and Lake Mary Ronan State Park are CLOSED.
• The CSKT Division of Fire is implementing Stage 1 fire restrictions on Flathead Indian Reservation lands effective at 12:01 AM on Friday, August 5, 2022.

Current and Planned Activity

Yesterday, winds increased out of the southwest in the afternoon and the fire burned actively in continuous timber fuels. Upslope runs and spotting caused significant growth on the north side of the fire, limiting firefighters’ ability to engage directly on the fire’s edge around 2:00 PM. Crews secured fireline along the west side of the fire holding and improving previously constructed line. Firefighters on the east side of the fire engaged with active fire in unburned fuels and focused on those areas to secure the fireline. The southern edge along Highway 28 remained contained and in patrol status. All areas of the fire were supported by numerous aircraft providing water and retardant drops. A night shift prepared for approaching fire on the north to be able to hold the fire at Camp Tuffit Road.

Today, firefighters will focus on Camp Tuffit Road and work to hold the fire as it approaches the southeast shore of Lake Mary Ronan. Structure preparation, mitigation, and secondary line construction and improvement will be a priority in this area. Aircraft will be utilized as conditions allow to support crews and equipment. Crews on the eastern and western sides of the fire will focus on areas of heat along the fire’s edge to ensure existing lines hold the fire in the current footprint.

Two fire investigators with the CSKT Fire Management program have determined the fire was human caused. The determination into its specific cause remains under investigation.

Weather: A red flag warning is in effect from noon to 9 PM on Thursday with sustained winds increasing from Wednesday. Mostly sunny with temperatures in the mid to high 80s.

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Public Meeting – Wednesday, August 3rd at 7:00 pm

Elmo Pow Wow Grounds – Hwy 93

The Elmo Fire is currently 18,427 acres and 16% contained. Wind gusts and low humidity combined with continuous timber fuels created increased fire activity to the north, expanding the fire perimeter towards Lake Mary Ronan and Big Meadows.

Evacuations

The Lake County Sheriff expanded the Evacuation Order to include all residents residing north and south of Hwy 352 (Lake Mary Ronan Road) and all residents who live along Lake Mary Ronan. All prior evacuation orders and pre-evacuation warnings are still effect.

Area Closures

·       Motorists can view the most recent updates on highway access at www.511mt.net.

·       The Boat Ramp at the Elmo Fishing Access Site is CLOSED.

·       Lake Mary Ronan State Park is CLOSED.

Current and Planned Activity

Yesterday, winds began late morning and continued out of the west. Firefighters made significant progress constructing and reinforcing control lines along the eastern and western sides of the fire. On the west side of the fire, crews improved fireline in the Cromwell Creek area with aviation support. The southern edge along Highway 28 remained contained and in patrol status. Firefighters on the north side of the fire were supported by aircraft and heavy equipment as they continued to construct fireline in addition to containing spot fires in hay fields to the north. Engines patrolled the fire perimeter overnight and reported the fire remained in its current footprint.

Today, firefighters on the eastern and western sides of the fire will continue reinforcing fireline, extinguishing areas of remaining heat to further secure the previously burned areas around Chief Cliff and Highway 93 to the east and Cromwell Creek Road to the west. To the north, crews and equipment will be supported by aircraft as they improve direct line and secure the hay meadows on the edge of the existing fire footprint. Firefighters along with heavy equipment will continue constructing fireline tying into existing roads up to the State managed section of land south of Lake Mary Ronan. Structure protection and mitigation efforts will continue near Lake Mary Ronan. Winds beginning in the late morning will have the potential to push the fire from the southwest, challenging lines from a new direction.

Weather: Mostly sunny with temperatures in the upper 80s to low 90s. Low afternoon humidity and increasing gusty west and southwest winds continuing into the evening.

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