Kootenai National Forest officials have ended the Ransome Fire area closure and roads are now open.

“There are still fire personnel in the area so we advise the public to use caution and be aware of potential fire traffic,” KNF Public Affairs Officer LaRona Rebo said.

Work by fire crews and soaking rains last weekend have limited the growth of the fire in the last week, which stands at about 703 acres. According to the last report, Tuesday, Sept. 16, by Incident Commander Raymond Flanagan, the containment was a 31%

The fire is mainly burning through timber, with grass and dense understory brush. Portions of the fire are burning through heavy dead-down fuels left from the 2017 West Fork Fire, with a high density of hazardous snags. 

The lightning-caused blaze was reported Aug. 21 and is located 11 miles northwest of Libby. Currently, 164 personnel are reported working on the fire. Firefighters and resources continue to tie together established heavy equipment lines. In areas with less heat, hose lays and sprinklers were utilized as crews began mopping up. Heavy equipment line surrounds the entirety of the fire perimeter, both directly and indirectly.

The largest fires on the Kootenai are the Isabella and Lost Girl Fires, located in the Cabinet Mountains in the East Fork of Bull River drainage.

For public and firefighter safety due to wildfire and suppression activity in the Isabella area, the closure order in the vicinity of the Isabella and Lost Girl Fires has been expanded to include additional roads and trails. 

All methods of travel are prohibited on NFS Road 407 from the end of EF Bull River County Road to its end point; NFS Road 407A in its entirety; and NFS Road 410 from junction with NFS Road 407 to junction with NFS Trail 987 (Dad’s Peak Trail) and Trailhead. 

The closure also includes NFS Trail 646 (St. Paul Lake Trail), NFS Trail 966 (Devil’s Club Trail), NFS Trail 987 (Dad’s Peak Trail), and NFS Trail 993 (Lost Girl Trail) all in their entirety. 

Those fires were the result of a massive lightning storm Aug. 31. Thirty-one fires began and while the vast majority are either out, controlled or contained, the Isabella is at 869 acres as of Sept. 12. Lost Girl is at 240 acres.

The Moran Fire, listed at 0.2 acres as of Sept. 6, has not shown any smoke or heat for several days.

There are no immediate concerns to private infrastructure. Smoke from the fires are visible along the Highway 56 corridor.

Officials said the fires occurred in steep terrain with heavy fuel loading with little to no road access. Suppression tactics were based on several safety concerns, including a lack of ways to get in or out that would result in unacceptable medevac times. Decisions are heavily based on firefighter safety and resources at risk. Resources continue to assess for opportunities for direct and indirect options.

A Type 3 Incident Commander has taken command of the fires. Crews and heavy equipment continue to prepare roads and trails to utilize as containment points if the fires continue to grow.