Montana Fires

River guide Danny Schmidt watches a wildfire move toward West Glacier, Mont., July 28, 2003. Fires forced the evacuation of portions of Glacier and the surrounding area, putting a crimp in river rafting trips in and around the national park. Some of the guides, like Schmidt, turned to fire training when it became clear river raft trips might get canceled.

Montana Gov. Judy Martz looks out from inside a helicopter at a wildfire burning near West Glacier, Mont., July 29, 2003.

Glacier Club green superintendent Doug Ren surveys the course as the Robert Fire burns in the background, at Glacier National Park, Mont., July 30, 2003.

Smoke from the Robert Fire obscures the scenic road leading to Glacier National Park from Columbia Falls, Mont., July 30, 2003.

Rob Larson, right, of Sutton, Alaska, and other firefighters listen to the morning briefing for the Robert Fire, July 30, 2003, at Glacier National Park, Mont.

West Glacier, Mont., residents and firefighters watch as a "Super Scooper" plane flies overhead before dropping its load of water adjacent to nearby homes, July 30, 2003. The twin-engine CL-215 aircraft from Canada fill up their tanks by dropping down on nearby Lake McDonald and scooping up water.

Volunteer firefighters Jake Hahn, left, and Joe Fox battle flames with water-soaked blue jeans as a range fire flares on the Redland Ranch, July 31, 2003, near Hysham, Mont.

Volunteer firefighter Joe Fox wipes his eyes as the range fire he and others were battling on the Redland Ranch near Hysham, Mont., sent clouds of stinging smoke into the air, July 31, 2003.

To protect some homes across the river from the Robert Fire, a helicopter drops water from the smoke filled sky outside Glacier National Park, Mont., July 31, 2003.

A firefighter uses a chainsaw to down a tree during the Robert Fire, July 31, 2003, in Glacier National Park, Mont.

A grizzly bear swims the North Fork River after being spooked by firefighting activity on the Robert Fire, in Glacier National Park, Mont., Aug. 1, 2003.

A dinner bell is all that remains of a private home lost during the Wedge Canyon Fire, which swept west of Glacier National Park, Mont., Aug. 1, 2003.

Fire erupts along a ridge line during the Wedge Canyon Fire, west of Glacier National Park, Mont., Aug. 1, 2003.

Flames from a backfire that was lit to protect a fireline tower over firefighters working on the Treasure County Complex fires, southwest of Hysham, Mont., Aug. 1, 2003.

Vehicles were backed up as far as the eye could see after traffic on Interstate 94 between Hysham and Bighorn, Mont., was stopped to allow slurry bombers to drop fire retardant along the road, Aug. 1, 2003.

A charred tea kettle sits on the stove of a private home lost during the Wedge Canyon Fire, Aug. 1, 2003, next to Flathead National Forest west of Glacier National Park, Mont. The blaze torched seven homes and 23 outbuildings.

Flames leap into the air during a burnout operation on the Robert Fire, inside Glacier National Park near West Glacier, Mont., Aug. 1, 2003. Firefighters were lighting the burnouts in order to prevent the main blaze from advancing on populated areas.

Twin plumes of smoke rise among smaller ones during the Trapper Fire, Aug. 2, 2003, in Glacier National Park, Mont.

A section of a 10-mile long clear cut forest just north of the U.S. border in Flathead, British Columbia, Aug. 3, 2003. The area was cleared as a preventive measure against the Wedge Canyon Fire burning in Flathead National Forest, Mont., should the wildfire head north.