Highway reopened outside Glacier Park but wildfire keeps lodge empty

HELENA, Mont. -- A highway near Glacier National Park was reopened Sunday, just a half-mile from a wind-whipped wildfire, but a nearby lodge threatened by the flames remained evacuated.

Authorities escorted traffic on U.S. 2 through the area along the southern edge of the park in northwest Montana. Fire managers warned that it could be closed again if the blaze flared up like it did Saturday, when wind kicked it across control lines. A 24-mile stretch of the highway was closed Saturday.

"We are hitting a couple hot spots on the south side with some helicopters, trying to keep it from moving to the south," said Dale Warriner, fire information officer.

Guests and 18 employees at Summit Station Lodge along the highway remained evacuated as flames were within a mile of the facility, owner Jorge Simental said.

Fire crews were protecting the lodge and tearing down some trees that were close to cabins, Simental said.

The blaze remained active overnight and was growing toward the northeast, but no other structures were threatened, Warriner said. On Saturday, it grew rapidly from 420 acres to about 1,000 acres, or about 1.5 square miles, he said.

A fire north of Helena in central Montana was keeping people away from recreation areas and homes. The blaze, which had charred nearly 10 square miles, was 15 percent contained with "extremely significant" fire conditions expected Sunday, fire managers said. Near-record temperatures and gusty wind were forecast.

Elsewhere, a dozen homes were ordered evacuated Sunday in California's Santa Barbara County as a wildfire spread across 1,000 acres, continuing a new growth spurt for the nearly month-old blaze.