A 2,000-acre fire at Glacier National Park in Montana has shut down part of the popular Going-to-the-Sun Road and prompted the evacuation of campers and backcountry hikers.
The Reynolds Creek Wildland Fire, which started Tuesday afternoon near Grizzly Point on the east side of the park and doubled in size overnight, “is moving quickly in heavy timber with extreme spread potential,” according to a park media statement.
The Going-to-the-Sun Road was closed between the St. Mary entrance on the east side and Big Bend in the central part of the park to aid firefighters, park personnel and visitor safety. The road is 50 miles long and 28 miles between the West Entrance and Big Bend are open.
The St. Mary Visitor Center closed at noon Wednesday so it could be used as a fire staging area.
The St. Mary Campground, which has about 148 sites, was being evacuated Wednesday.
The Rising Sun Motor Inn, which is operated by Glacier National Park Lodges, and the Rising Sun Campground were both evacuated Tuesday night.
The Inside North Fork Road is closed at Logging Creek and Fish Creek.
Park rangers and other staffers are searching for backcountry hikers to evacuate them.
