ROCK CREEK – Fire crews responded to a grass fire on Sunday afternoon just east of here off Interstate 90.
The fire, which grew to about 5 acres, was burning south of the road at mile marker 130 next to Beavertail Hill State Park, said Boyd Hartwig, spokesman for the Lolo National Forest.
Firefighters from both the U.S. Forest Service and the Clinton Rural Fire District responded to the blaze, using several fire engines as well as a helicopter that conducted water drops.
"We had a really fast response on it," Hartwig said, adding that crews expected to have the fire contained within hours.
He said the fire is believed to be human-caused and began in the ditch just off the interstate around shortly before 2 p.m. Sunday. No structures were threatened, and one of the eastbound lanes of the interstate was closed down while fire crews worked.
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Hartwig said Montana has seen a string of human-caused fires in recent weeks and said the fire season is still likely to be very active through the rest of the summer. He urged people to use caution when outdoors, and to be aware that conditions across the region are very dry.
"We really need the public's help and cooperation to help keep the number of fires in our area down," he said.
