Lightning sparks fire near Delmoe Lake

Lighting was the cause of the McClusky Fire that started August 16 approximately three miles northeast of Delmoe Lake and 13 miles northwest of Whitehall.

The fire is burning in lodgepole pine in steep, rugged, inaccessible terrain with high concentrations of standing dead trees and logs on the ground. This poses an excessive safety risk to firefighters. As of press deadline Tuesday afternoon, the fire is estimated to be 70 acres in size and is 0 percent contained.

Additional resources arrived Tuesday that include two Type 1 hotshot crews and one type 2 hand crew. A total of 87 personnel and o...