Saddle Complex

The unseasonably warm weather and wind this weekend caused the Up Top Fire in the 41 Complex of forest fires to spread to the north and east about 500 acres, according to Information Officer Tod McKay of the Bitterroot National Forest

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Wind gusts up to 25 miles per hour pushed the Up Top forest fire another 1,100 acres this weekend. So far, the fire has burned about 11,000 acres in the Bitterroot National Forest and currently is moving toward the east, spotting over into the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest northeast of Dam Lake

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Forest officials expect more smoke from the 41 Complex forest fire later this week, as another few days of 80-degree temperatures are predicted for the Bitterroot Valley. The valley air has been much easier to breathe this past weekend

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The amount of smoke increased from a couple of burnouts on the Up Top Fire, part of the 41 Complex forest fire in Sapphire Mountains east of Hamilton. The Up Top Fire has been creeping down into Saint Clair Creek and a second contingency fire line has been constructed on private lands to the west of the fire, which is almost 7,000 acres as of Sunday evening

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The Saddle Complex forest fire is at 25,946 acres this morning (Sept 1) in Idaho and Montana. On the Montana firelines, there was little change and firefighters built fireline toward the old Blue Nose Lookout

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Lightning caused fires are keeping Forest Service crews busy in Montana and Idaho. The accompanying photo is of the Salt Fire in the Salmon District.
However, the largest fire in the area, the Saddle Complex is about 24,000 acres and is still south of Hughes Creek in the West Fork of the Bitterroot National Forest

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Here's the Bitterroot National Forest Service map of the Saddle forest fire south of Painted Rocks Reservoir at the Montana-Idaho border.