Forest Fire Destroys Homes at Flathead Lake

An estimated dozen homes have been lost to the Boulder 2700 Fire along Flathead Lake in the Finley Point area. The fire started on the hillside east of Highway 35 and was 200 acres Saturday morning. Winds pushed fire to an estimated 1,100 acres Sunday morning. At about 4 a.m. Sunday, the fire jumped the highway onto Finley Point, causing the mandatory evacuation of Skidoo Lane, which was later extended to all of Finley Point, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. A Northern Rockies Type 2 team is being assigned to the fire. Air drops of water and retardant are continuing.

The Finley Point/ Yellow Bay Fire Department reported the evacuation for homes in the area from mile marker 6 to at least mile marker 12 on Highway 35, which has been closed. Power has been shut off in many areas as a precaution to further fire starts, they said.

C.T. Camel of the CSKT Division of Fire said that the fire is 8 miles northeast of Polson and the Red Cross has set up a shelter for evacuees at the Linderman Elementary School on 4th Avenue East in Polson. This is a developing story and further evacuations may be needed. For more information check the Lake County Sheriff's Office Facebook page or the CSKT Division of Fire Facebook website.