Montana park opens after fire threat

WEST GLACIER, Mont. -- Glacier National Park's busy west gate reopened to tourists Monday, more than a week after a fast-moving wildfire threatened the park headquarters and this tiny town.

Orville Stover, a school bus driver from Portland, Ore., was waiting at the gate in his car at 8 a.m. He had planned to see Glacier on his way to Mount Rushmore and was afraid he might not get the chance.

"I'm just excited," he said. "I've been praying for two days for it to rain."

Officials waived park fees Monday because only day trips were being allowed -- and only to Apgar Village, a popular tourist destination that is home to a lodge and several shops.

More of the park's west side was set to reopen to visitors today.

The weather on Monday was expected to help firefighters as they continue trying to contain the 24,400-acre fire.

Fire information officer Andy Williams said firefighters made good progress in building fire lines Sunday. He said the fire was about 40 percent contained.

Firefighters will again focus on the fire's west and north flanks Monday, he said, as well as its northeastern edge to keep it from making any runs.

"This weather is really helping," Williams said. "The longer it lasts, the better we'll feel about this fire."

The weather also helped firefighters with a 25,200-acre fire burning about six miles from the Canadian border. It has burned about 4,000 acres in Glacier.

The fire jumped a road -- considered a main defense line -- late Saturday, but cooler temperatures and light rain helped firefighters make progress Sunday. It already has burned 36 buildings, including seven homes.

Officials asked residents days ago to evacuate the area all the way to the Canadian border. Canadian firefighters also cleared a defense line -- a wide swath of vegetation -- last week.

Elsewhere, clusters of range fires in eastern Montana burned some 15,000 acres by Sunday night.

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On the Net:

National Interagency Fire Center: http://www.nifc.gov

Glacier web cams: http://www.nps.gov/glac/whatsnew.htm

Glacier fire updates: http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/fire/ciimt5/ac/

Robert Fire: http://akteam.ak.blm.gov/