HAMILTON – Lightning is being blamed for sparking at least five small fires in the Bitterroot National Forest.
Forest officials noted on Sunday that firefighters had responded to five lightning fires in the last 24 hours. Several thunderstorms — which provided little widespread moisture — moved across Ravalli County on Saturday.
The Two-Bear fire — burning in the Little Sleeping Child Drainage near Bald Top Mountain — has been contained. There are four firefighters assigned to the quarter-acre blaze.
The Two Buck fire is located on the West Fork Ranger District and is located on the Montana-Idaho border two miles west of the Blue Joint Drainage. This fire is .1 of an acre and is staffed with two firefighters.
There are three additional small fires located very close together in the Martin Creek drainage, which is located in the East Fork of the Bitterroot. Each of these fires is believed to be .1 of an acre in size and nine firefighters have been called in to staff the fires.
The fire danger remains at moderate on the Bitterroot National Forest.
