ELMO – The CSKT Division of Fire reports that the Elmo 2 Fire has now grown to approximately 7,000 acres since it broke out Friday afternoon. Evacuations and road closures remain in effect in the Elmo area. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks evacuated and closed Big Arm and Lake Mary Ronan State Parks due to the Elmo 2 Fire. Watch: A helicopter drops water on the Elmo 2 Fire on the morning of July 30, 2022: RAW VIDEO: Airstrike on Elmo 2 Fire – information from Newsy’s Mark Thorsell, Melissa Rafferty and Maritsa Georgiou included in this report. (first reported: 8:16 PM – July 30, 2022) ELMO – The fire that broke out in the Elmo area Friday afternoon has grown to about 4,000 acres. The Montana DNRC Wildfire Dashboard reports the Elmo 2 fire as 0% contained. According to the Polson City Fire Department, the evacuation zone has been extended to Lake Mary Ronan Road from mile marker 5 to US Highway 93. Evacuations of several homes in the Elmo area were previously ordered. Butch Larcombe A section of Montana Highway 28 and Lake Mary Ronan Road remains closed due to the fire. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks says Big Arm and Lake Mary Ronan state parks have been evacuated and are closed until further notice. A Red Cross shelter for firefighters was set up late Friday at Linderman Gym in Polson. Kiana Wilson/MTN News Lake County Sheriff Don Bell is asking boaters to avoid the Elmo Bay area where aircraft are gathering water to fight the fire. The Montana DNRC Wildfire Dashboard reports the fire as human-caused. The Polson Chamber of Commerce announced that a free pancake breakfast will be provided for evacuees staying at Linderman Gym. Please note that donations or additional volunteers are not needed at this time.
