Montana Closes State Land as Fires Continue to Rage

More than 6 million acres of southwestern Montana were closed to the public Wednesday as wildfires burned across 300,000 acres of the state, destroying houses and driving hundreds of people from their homes.

Gov. Marc Racicot ordered the closures on state land and said similar closures were pending on national forest and tribal land. The combined closures affect 6 million to 8 million acres, he said.

“We would not do this if it were not absolutely essential,” Racicot said. “This is devastating.”

Montana’s 19 largest fires Wednesday had scorched 300,000 acres. The fires are concentrated in the Bitterroot Valley, where at least 52 homes have burned and 971 people had to evacuate.

Nationally, 70 large wildfires were burning across 992,000 acres. More than 20,000 firefighters are on the lines in the hot and dry West.

The National Interagency Fire Center in Idaho is recruiting 80 people from New Zealand and Australia to join fire crews that already include firefighters from Canada and Mexico. It is uncertain when they will arrive and where they would be assigned, said Neal Hitchcock, a manager at the center.

In Oregon, Gov. John Kitzhaber declared a state of emergency Wednesday, allowing National Guard troops to be called up for firefighting duty. As many as 400 troops were expected to be called to duty over the next two weeks to be trained to fight fires.

“It’s vital we be ready with additional firefighters should the need arise,” Kitzhaber said.

A 25,500-acre fire in Idaho’s Nez Perce National Forest burned along a mile and a half of the Salmon River and threatened to jump the river, which is about 100 yards wide near McCall.

If the fire crossed the river, historic cabins and rock art could be threatened.

Steve Armstrong, archeologist for the forest, said three cabins were wrapped in fire-resistant materials. The numerous historic sites along the river include 1,000 pieces of rock art that depict birds and fish and hunting posts. Some are as much as 8,000 years old.

In Montana, Racicot’s announcement forbids hiking, fishing and all other activities beginning Friday unless a permit is obtained. Only homeowners who must cross state land to reach their homes are exempt.

Racicot said the closure is necessary to prevent additional fires and to reduce the chance that people using forested lands could be trapped by wildfires.

In Colorado’s Mesa Verde National Park, a fire that threatened ancient cliff dwellings was 40% contained, and high humidity Wednesday aided firefighters’ efforts. Full containment was predicted for 6 p.m. Friday.

In Nevada, crews battled exhaustion and the calendar as they gained some ground on the 15 fires burning throughout the state.

Many firefighters were brought in from other states to help with the blazes in Nevada and are nearing the 14-day maximum for their tours of duty.

A fire took off overnight between Sparks and Pyramid Lake north of Reno, but quick work held it to 250 acres and 30% containment.

At the site of the state’s largest fire, the O’Neil complex southwest of Jarbidge, some firefighting force is being lost because personnel from Oregon who have reached 14-day limits are being asked to return home to face the threat of new fires there, Cmdr. Pat Murphy said.

He said requests for 10,000 firefighters are going unfilled across the West. The six-blaze complex was 55% contained at 31,137 acres.

In southern Nevada, firefighters were corralling the 878-acre Trout fire 30 miles northwest of Las Vegas.