KALISPELL - Fire officials in Flathead County are reminding the public that fire season is not close to being over as multiple days of lightning are in the forecast this week.
“You know we got our hands full chasing these lightning fires now that are going to be popping up, and just not having human-caused fires will really be a value to us,” said Flathead County Fire Area Manager Lincoln Chute.
Chute said lighting can cause holdover fires that sometimes don’t pop up for a full week after the strike hits the ground.
“You know we will deal with them to the best of our ability, right now we’re looking pretty good on resources, so we’re being able to get after those and try to get them contained as quick as we can and as small as they can,” added Chute.
He said the next two weeks are of concern to fire officials as everyone gets outside to enjoy the last bit of summer.
“You know two pretty big weekends to go camping, schools getting ready to start, get that last time in before school starts, you know we just need the public’s help to make sure you’re not parking in tall grass, if you have a campfire make sure that you put it out, even if you’re going to leave for a little bit from your campsite put it completely out, that’s putting water on it, stirring it and feeling it to make sure it’s not too warm.”
Lincoln said Flathead County has not implemented fire restrictions at this time, but that could change if the number of human-caused starts begins to rise.
“You know right now the fires we’re running on our mostly holdover lightning fires and if we can keep it that way and not have to do restrictions and inconvenience the public and everybody, you know that’s a good thing, but right now from the fires we’re seeing starting they’re not from human-caused fires, and we just need the public’s help to keep that going and try to limit those human-caused starts,” said Chute.
