After windy night, rain calms Garcon blaze
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The West Garcon fire grew to around 4-5,000 acres overnight, due to winds gusting up to 30 miles per hour, said Curtiss Matt, information officer for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire.
Fifteen area residents were evacuated but returned to their homes Wednesday morning, Matt said. Firefighters did structure protection, and all the homes are okay, although one or two outbuildings burned.
Polson, Hot Springs and Ronan fire departments were called in to help at about 2 a.m. Around 3:45 a.m. a light rain began, which helped containment efforts, Matt said. The North Idaho Fire Team assumed command of the fire at 7 a.m. Fire headquarters is the Polson Fairgrounds.
Matt noted that the main message for readers is that firefighters need unobstructed access to the scene, so people should stay out of the area and off the roads. Law enforcement has blocked several area roads.
The fire was reported Monday around 5:45 p.m., and by 1 p.m. Tuesday, the blaze had whipped through more than 1,300 acres in the Garcon/Windy Gap area 20 miles northwest of Ronan. The origin of the fire is still being investigated, Matt said. It began on private land and spread to tribal land. CKST Division of Fire, Polson Rural Fire Department, Hot Springs Fire Department and CSKT Forest Development responded Monday, and Ronan and Finley Point Fire Departments were called in Tuesday afternoon.
