Dozens of additional firefighters arrived in Northwest Montana on Sunday to help contain a wildfire west of Olney that forced residents from their homes over the weekend.

Great Basin Complex Incident Management Team 7 assumed command of the Skillet Fire on Sunday morning. Nearly 180 firefighters were assigned to the 1,318-acre blaze on the Flathead and Kootenai national forests.

The fire was moving north and northeast toward an area that burned in the 2023 East Fork Fire. Operations Section Chief Chad Olson said the movement north was ideal because numerous homes and structures are located to the south along Good Creek and Alder Creek roads. Residents in those areas were ordered to evacuate Saturday. At least 50 structures were considered threatened.

"We don't want it coming south," Olson said.

Olson said downed trees from the major wind event in December 2025 made it difficult for firefighters to safely access the area.

"As far as getting crews in there ... it's dang near impossible," he said. "The good news is we have options with heavy equipment."

Crews were working to build an anchor point on the east side of the fire.

"If we're successful, we'll be able to take this fire and keep shoving it to the north," Olson said.

Firefighters were to patrol the area 24 hours a day with the addition of a night crew Sunday, he added. The total cost of fighting the fire as of Sunday was estimated at $1.5 million.

In the Bob Marshall Wilderness, the Silvertip Fire was estimated at 6,029 acres. It was burning in rugged terrain about 15 miles southeast of the Spotted Bear Ranger Station.

The Elder 1 Fire south of Frenchtown was estimated at 1,221 acres and was 40% contained.

"Due to the strategic suppression actions taken over the last several days, the fire showed minimal growth and increased containment," Incident Commander Brent Olson noted in a fire update on Sunday.

Skidgens will support mop‑up operations by delivering water to resources, he said. The specialized units are a hybrid between a logging skidder and a fire engine and can carry up to 2,000 gallons of water across rugged terrain.

Air quality across western Montana was rated as "unhealthy" to "very unhealthy" Sunday because of local fire activity combined with smoke from fires in Washington and Oregon. People were advised to stay indoors and limit outdoor activity.

Fire danger on the Flathead Reservation was elevated to very high last week, meaning dry grass and needles will ignite easily. People were advised to use extra caution.