UPDATE: 9:40 am – July 30, 2022
ELMO – The CSKT Fire Division reports that the Elmo 2 Fire has grown to approximately 7,000 acres since it broke out Friday evening.
Evacuations and road closures in the Elmo area remain in effect.
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has evacuated and closed Big Arm and Lake Mary Ronan State Parks due to the Elmo 2 Fire.
Watch: A helicopter drops water on the Elmo 2 Fire on the morning of July 30, 2022:
RAW VIDEO: Airstrike on Elmo 2 Fire
– information from Newsy’s Mark Thorsell, Melissa Rafferty and Maritsa Georgiou included in this report.
(first report: 20:16 – 30 July 2022)
ELMO – A wildfire that broke out in the Elmo area Friday evening has grown to about 4,000 acres.
The Montana DNRC wildfire control panel lists the Elmo 2 fire as 0% contained.
According to the City of Polson Fire Department, the evacuation zone has been extended to Lake Mary Ronan Road from mile marker 5 to US Highway 93. Evacuations were previously ordered for several residences in the elmo area.
Butch Larcombe
A section of Montana Highway 28 and Lake Mary Ronan Road remains closed due to the fire.
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks reports that Big Arm and Lake Mary Ronan State Parks have been evacuated and are closed until further notice.
A Red Cross shelter for fire evacuees was set up Friday afternoon at Linderman Gym in Polson.
Kiana Wilson/MTN News
Lake County Sheriff Don Bell is asking boaters to avoid the Elmo Bay area, where planes are collecting water to fight the fire.
The Montana DNRC wildfire control panel lists the fire as human-caused.
The Polson Chamber of Commerce has announced that free pancake breakfasts will be provided to evacuees staying at the Linderman Gym.
Please note that no additional donations or volunteers are needed at this time.