UPDATED: Boulder 2700 Fire burns 1,150 acres near Finley Point
WHITEFISH, Mont. — UPDATED at 11:17 a.m.:
CSKT Division of Fire released new information on the Boulder 2700 Fire that is now burning 1,150 acres near Finley point.
The following was posted to their Facebook page Sunday morning:
"Highway 35 is closed at the highway 93, highway 35 junction on the south end and at mile marker 15 on the north end. An evacuation order is in place from mile marker 6 to 13 on highway 35 and all of Finley Point. Multiple structures have been lost last night and into the early morning. Aviation resources are continuing to drop retardant and water on this fire. A Northern Rockies Type 2 team has been assigned to this fire and will be in briefed in the next day or two. The cause of this fire is under investigation.
The Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees at the Linderman Gymnasium in Polson, MT. If you have questions or concerns regarding this notice, please contact Division of Fire at 676-2550 or contact C.T. Camel, Fire Information Officer, at 406-676-2550 ext. 6407 or email: ct.camel@cskt.org"
Early Sunday morning, CSKT fire information officer C.T. Camel confirmed a fast moving wildfire eight miles east of Polson destroyed multiple homes on Flathead Lake overnight. He says the number is in the teens, but possibly up to 20 on both sides of Highway 35 at mile marker 9. He says nobody was hurt.
Around 1 a.m., the Lake County Sheriff's Office put out an alert on social media notifying people the Boulder 2700 Fire shifted and jumped Highway 35, heading toward the Finley Point area. There are mandatory evacuations for Skidoo Lane and Finley Point along with the area between mile marker 6 and mile marker 12 on Highway 35. That highway is closed south of Blue Bay.
The first notice put out by Lake County told residents nearby to be ready to evacuate as there are spot fires moving with strong winds. A new notice around 3:30 a.m. from the Finley Point/Yellow Bay Fire Department said the winds shifted out of the northeast, pushing the fire to jump Highway 35 around mile marker 10.
Sunday morning, crews conducted recon flights to determine the size of the fire. We are still waiting for those reports.
Camel says the fire was caused by humans, but is still under investigation.
An evacuation Center is now set up at Linderman Gym in Polson.
A resident on Skidoo Bay says law enforcement came to their door just before midnight and told them they need to leave immediately. She says the fire started coming over the ridge toward them.
She says other law enforcement was on a boat notifying residents over loudspeaker to evacuate.
The Finley Point/Yellow Bay Fire Department update says power has been cut to the area as a precaution. They say if you are evacuating, put a sock on the door knob and a pillow case over the mailbox to let responders know the home is vacated.
NBC Montana checked for overnight infrared mapping or updates on Inciweb, but none have been posted yet. Stay tuned as we learn more about this developing situation.
