Rain event this weekend could very well quash fire season

The region should see significant rain over the weekend and snow down to 9,000 feet, the National Weather Service is predicting.

It should be close to a season-ending event for the fire season as well, as predicted rainfall totals should run from 0.75 inch to 2.5 inches of rain in the higher terrain of Glacier National Park, National Weather Service meteorologist Trent Parker said. 

That's good news for two big fires in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. The Silvertip Fire is burning near Spotted Bear and the Camp Creek Fire is burning 5.5 miles southeast of Benchmark in the Basin area. 

Several major trails near both fires have closed as a result. Trail 83, a main route into the Bob Marshall from Spotted Bear has been closed for weeks due to the Silvertip Fire. The fire did not cross the trail, however, so it could be easy to reopen when conditions are safe. The rifle hunting season in the wilderness opens in mid-September. 

The Deer Creek Fire west of Kalispell and the Skillet Fire near Olney should also see beneficial moisture. 

Columbia Falls should see more than an inch of rain by Tuesday morning and there's a 10% chance that Glacier Park could see as much as 3 inches of rain. 

It's already been raining in Columbia Falls on and off since Wednesday evening. 

The rain has also been falling in Oregon and Washington, which should clear the valleys of smoke, which has dogged the region since July.

Next week should dry out for a few days, but there's another system expected by the weekend.