Skillet Fire Burns 1,318 Acres Near Olney With Zero Containment

Overview

• The Skillet Fire ignited July 29 in the Tally Ranger District and has grown to 1,318 acres with 0% containment.
• A Red Flag Warning is in effect with gusts forecast up to 50 mph, shifting winds, and low humidity that increase the risk of spot fires and rapid growth.
• Flathead County issued evacuation warnings for Good Creek Road, Old Good Creek Road, Gregg Creek Road, and Alder Creek Road and the Flathead and Kootenai National Forests enacted a broad area closure.
• Ninety-eight personnel are assigned, including two hand crews, two heavy equipment task forces, two engines, and one helicopter, and Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 7 will take command at 6:00 a.m. on August 2.
• The fire is burning through abundant dead-and-down fuels and blowdown that make containment difficult, the cause remains undetermined, and nearby communities should expect air quality impacts and ongoing access restrictions.