West Riverside fire blows up; carefully watched by Sheriff's Dept. and citizens

West Riverside fire claims 3,400 acres; some Rattlesnake trails closed
By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian


Once the inversion lifted Sunday morning, the West Riverside fire came to life, burning vigorously high in the mountains at the top of the Marshall Creek drainage and prompting trail closures in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area.

As the day warmed, the 3,400-acre wildfire moved northwest, belching out giant plumes of smoke that could be seen throughout the Missoula Valley during the afternoon.

Thankfully, Sunday's weather was relatively tame compared to Saturday, when late-afternoon 30 mph-plus winds arrived unexpectedly and sent the fire on a 1,000-acre run - across burnouts and dozer lines, said fire information officer Dixie Dies.

West Riverside wildfire settles down

West Riverside fire moves higher; weather helps firefighters

BLACKFOOT RIVER CANYON - Most of the West Riverside fire has moved into the high slopes around Woody Mountain, and so have the firefighters.

The 2,100-acre wildfire burning five miles east of Missoula made little movement on Thursday, thanks in part to a noon thunderstorm that raced north over Evaro Hill but barely ruffled the fire zone.

The firefighter and the kitten - great story brought to us by Gwen Florio

Brett Cunniff thought his 15 minutes of fame were over a month ago.

That's when the Missoulian ran a photo of the young firefighter holding an oxygen mask to a soot-colored, blue-eyed kitten outside a St. Patrick's Day house fire in the lower Rattlesnake.

Cue the "awwwwws" from family and friends and the local public.

But nothing is local anymore, not with the Internet.