Fire season isn’t over yet.

Despite the drop in temperatures as Northwest Montana shifts into fall, fires in the Kootenai National Forest continue to burn, as evidenced by the unhealthy levels of smoke that have persisted in the Libby and Thompson Falls areas over the last couple weeks.

The Smearl Fire, reported Monday, is suspected to be human-caused and has burned through an estimated 160 acres in the Leigh Lake area south of Libby. An 18-person crew from the Helena National Forest was headed to the new wildfire, according to a press release sent Wednesday by forest officials, and a Type III management team is scheduled to take over operations today. Four helicopters and multiple air tankers were also supporting firefighting operations Wednesday.

Fire crews also constructed a new fuel break and fire lines over the past two days in an attempt to stop the slow-growing Klatawa Fire, which has been burning near the Idaho border since mid-August.

The Berray Fire has been smoldering in the Cabinet Mountains Wilderness for about the same amount of time, and also experienced significant fire activity this week. A hotshot crew is constructing fire line to keep it from growing any further to the north.

The lack of rain in parts of the region has played a role int he extended fire season. Last September was the third-driest on record in Libby.

The official weather gauge at the Libby Ranger Station registered just .01 inches of precipitation in September, despite averaging 1.18.

However, other locations in the area registered more significant rainfall during the month, with more than an inch falling in Heron and Eureka.

Reporter Samuel Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at [email protected].