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More evacuations ordered in central Montana fire

In an Aug. 30, 2017, photo, trees burn as the Rice Ridge Fire burns in the Lolo National Forest near Woodworth Road northeast of Salmon Lake, Mont. (Rion Sanders / Great Falls Tribune via AP)

HELENA, Mont. – A cold front packing high wind gusts has caused fires burning across Montana to spread and forced more evacuations of homes.

The Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office ordered the evacuation of two subdivisions threatened by a 25-square-mile wildfire northeast of Lincoln early Monday.

Sheriff’s officials say smoke from the Alice Creek Fire has gotten so thick that visibility in certain areas is only 25 feet.

It is not immediately clear how many homes the expanded evacuation zone affects. Authorities ordered about 10 homes to evacuate on Saturday after 47 mph wind gusts fanned the blaze.

The front from Canada has brought cooler temperatures, but a red-flag warning is still in effect for much of the state. Wind gusts are expected to blow up to 35 mph through Monday evening.