Wildfires prompt Montana governor to declare millions of acres off limits

Air quality alerts issued

Weather conditions in western Montana were expected to worsen, said Fred Naeher, acting director for Montana Disaster and Emergency Services.

"We're expecting a cold front to come through, which would generate thunderstorm activity and dry lightning," Naeher said. "The meteorologists are saying there would be little moisture."

He said air quality alerts were issued for western Montana because of the smoke generated by the fires.

"We're encouraging people to stay inside and not to exert too much energy outdoors," Naeher said. "If you can imagine a continually foggy day -- except this fog smells like wood smoke -- that's what it's like living here in western Montana," he told CNN by telephone from Helena.

Montana already was under an emergency order prohibiting logging and the use of internal combustion engines in forested areas.

The Travel Montana state tourism agency reported that about 10 percent of the calls it was receiving were fire-related.

"You can't sugarcoat a serious situation," said Matthew Cohn, director of Travel Montana. "But at the same time, there are a lot of areas that aren't affected."

"In the long run, this is just part of being alive on planet Earth," he said.

Optimism in Mesa Verde

The National Interagency Fire Center said 65 fires were burning across 12 Western states Thursday. About half of those were in Montana and Idaho. The other fires included blazes in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

Flames engulf timber in Bitterroot National Forest

In Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park, a 5,000-acre fire that threatened ancient cliff dwellings was more than 50 percent contained Wednesday night, and incident commander Mike Lohrey expected full containment Friday.

"It's looking good, but nobody's letting down their guard, said park spokesman Will Morris.

Emergencies declared in Northwest

In Oregon, Gov. John Kitzhaber declared a state of emergency Wednesday, allowing National Guard troops to be called up for fire-fighting duty. As many as 400 troops were expected to be called over the next two weeks to be trained to fight fires.

"It's vital we be ready with additional firefighters should the need arise," Kitzhaber said. Measurements of fire danger in the state were the worst in 30 years.

Washington Gov. Gary Locke declared a state of emergency due to a high fire danger and a shortage of firefighters. As many as 500 National Guard members will be trained to fight fires.

"The large fires in the other Western states will affect our fire-fighting ability in the Northwest," said Laurie Perrett, deputy regional director of fire and aviation for the Forest Service and U.S. Bureau of Land Management. "We fear that the worst is yet to come."

Idaho fire threatens historic sites

A 26,700-acre fire in Idaho's Nez Perce National Forest burned along a mile and a half of the Salmon River and threatened to jump the river, which is about 100 yards wide near McCall. If the fire crossed the river, historic cabins and rock art could be threatened.

Steve Armstrong, archaeologist for the forest, said three cabins were wrapped in fire-resistant materials. The numerous historic sites along the river include 1,000 pieces of rock art that depict birds, fish and hunting posts. Some are as much as 8,000 years old.

Wyoming vacations disrupted

In Wyoming, a wind-fed fire near Jackson kept more than 200 residents and vacationers out of their homes and cabins for an eighth day Wednesday.

"It's frustrating for everyone. They've gotten their hopes up every day thinking they're going to spend their summer here in Jackson Hole," said Caecy Yeager of the American Red Cross, which runs an evacuee shelter at Jackson's high school.

4.3 million acres consumed

More than 20,000 civilian and military firefighters, backed by some 5,000 support personnel, are battling fires across the country, mostly in the West.

The Interagency Fire Center in Idaho is recruiting up to 80 people from New Zealand and Australia to join fire crews that already include personnel from Canada and Mexico. It is uncertain when they will arrive and where they would be assigned, said Neal Hitchcock, a manager at the center.

So far this year, U.S. wildfires have consumed more than 4.3 million acres -- 6,718 square miles -- an area greater in size than Connecticut and Rhode Island combined.