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  3. Wildfires force evacuation of Essex, but most of Glacier Park open for recreation

Wildfires force evacuation of Essex, but most of Glacier Park open for recreation

BNSF Railway crews install sprinklers on a trestle as the Sheep Fire burns near Essex, Mont, on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. Crews were working Thursday to prevent the wildfire from spreading to the small Montana community of Essex as authorities closed a major transportation corridor on Glacier National Park's southern boundary. Essex was evacuated on Aug. 27. (Greg Lindstrom / Flathead Beacon via AP)
BNSF Railway crews install sprinklers on a trestle as the Sheep Fire burns near Essex, Mont, on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015. Crews were working Thursday to prevent the wildfire from spreading to the small Montana community of Essex as authorities closed a major transportation corridor on Glacier National Park's southern boundary. Essex was evacuated on Aug. 27. (Greg Lindstrom / Flathead Beacon via AP)

WILDFIRES -- The Flathead County Sheriff ordered a mandatory evacuation of Essex, Montana, and the surrounding area on Thursday because of increased activity on the Sheep Fire in the Thompson Complex fires near Glacier National Park.

Highway 2 is closed today between mileposts 176.8 and 185 around Essex. See updates here.  Firefighters are working to protect Essex.

BNSF trains and Amtrak are running intermittently.

Meamwhile, most of Glacier National Park is open to recreation as the Thompson Fire continues to burn in remote south-central backcountry about 15 miles east of the West Glacier entrance in the Thompson and Nyack drainages west of the Continental Divide.  

Limited backcountry closures are in place. Specific visitor information is available on the park's website.

Rich Landers
Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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