Officials are “cautiously optimistic” about the likelihood of tying up the Skillet Fire burning west of Olney in the coming days, despite a dearth of resources and the looming threat of hot and dry weekend conditions.

First reported on the afternoon of July 29, the Skillet Fire has since grown to 2,700 acres, outpacing all other incidents in the Northern Rockies Region outside of designated wilderness. While containment remains at zero percent, Operations Sections Chief Cody Kidd said crews have made substantial progress establishing containment lines to cut off the fire’s progress. 

“It’s a pretty big fire. There’s a lot of fuel and some tough country,” Kidd said at an Aug. 4 community meeting about the Skillet Fire. “We’re doing the best we can, and we’re hoping that we’re going to have this in a really good spot before the next wind event.” 

Within two days, Kidd expected crews to wrangle the southwestern perimeter of the fire under control. He estimated that flames on the eastern front of the fire would be “locked off” within four to five days.   

A 5,200-acre burn scar from the 2023 East Fork Fire is expected to hold off the Skillet Fire’s northern progression.  

Catastrophic wildfires in the Pacific Northwest have diverted much of the nation’s firefighting resources, but Great Basin Team 7 Commander Mike Johnston expressed few concerns that equipment and personnel limitations would deter containment of the fire. 

“You know, the resources are challenging, getting everything that we would want to get here, but we’re getting enough to do what we need to do, and Cody [Kidd] is making good, wise use of the resources to ensure that we can box this in,” he said. 

The Skillet Fire now tops the list of regional firefighting priorities, with seven crews, 10 engines and four helicopters assigned to the blaze. Another 64 firefighters were assigned to the Skillet Fire yesterday, bringing the total personnel count to 362. Firefighting costs totaled $3.9 million for the weeklong operation.   

Crews continued to build lines near the Bowen, Alder, Martin and Robertson creek areas on Aug. 5 and conducted a burnout in the Twin Meadows area to the northwest of the fire.  

Crews also wrapped the Elk Mountain Lookout in protective wrap, improving the structure’s chances of survival if exposed to the flames. The 1920s-era lookout sits about 3 miles southwest of the fire’s current perimeter.   

Aircraft, which were grounded by poor visibility earlier in the week, are now supporting ground crews with water drops. Crews have also made use of chemical suppressants, completing more than two dozen aerial retardant runs within the first day of operations, according to officials.  

After an investigation, officials determined lightning was the “only viable cause” of the Skillet Fire, Public Information Officer Don Thompson said. Skies were clear on the day the blaze was discovered, but fires started by lightning strikes often smolder for days or weeks before being detected. 

A cool and wet start to the week allowed crews to progress in containing other wildfires in the region. The Elder I Fire burning near Frenchtown reached 93% containment. The Upper Smith Fire burning about 20 miles northwest of Bonners Ferry, Idaho continues to hold steady at 2,305 acres and 40% containment. The Silvertip Fire burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness remained at 6,196 acres.  

As of yesterday afternoon, air quality was considered moderate for much of Northwest Montana. Whitefish continued to track as unhealthy for sensitive groups.