Silvertip Fire Active 2026

The Silvertip Fire was started by lightning in the Spotted Bear Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest, approximately 15 miles southeast of Spotted Bear Ranger Station, near Silvertip Mountain. The fire was detected by aircraft on July 24, 2026 while conducting recon on another reported fire. The fire is burning in heavy timber on steep slopes with standing dead and down trees.

A Forest Closure is in place for several trails in the fire area for public and firefighter safety: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/flathead/alerts

Reconnaissance flights continue over the fire as conditions allow. Aircraft are navigating challenging inversion layers, which may delay fire mapping and operational updates. Ground access remains difficult in the remote wilderness and firefighters prioritize initial attack to reduce the number of fires on the landscape.