Fire update: Lake McDonald Lodge in Glacier is closing for the season due to smoke

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2. Historic Sperry Chalet Burns in Glacier Park Fire

It took more than a year to build. It took less than an hour to destroy. The 104-year-old Sperry Chalet was lost on Aug. 31 after a wildfire in Glacier National Park doubled in size in just a matter of hours. Five firefighters and four helicopters made what National Park Service officials called a “valiant” effort to save the National Historic Landmark, but in the end those efforts fell short.

According to park officials, the main two-story dormitory has been destroyed, while a number of outbuildings were saved, including the stone kitchen and dining room. The chalet fell victim to the lightning-caused Sprague Fire that has been tormenting the Lake McDonald Valley since the middle of August. Soon after the fire was discovered, the Sperry Chalet was evacuated and closed for the season. A sprinkler and pump system was set up around the chalet, and for weeks officials said the Sprague Fire didn’t pose an immediate threat to the building.

A portion of the chalet was wrapped with fire-resistant material. Other nearby structures, like the Mount Brown Lookout, were completely wrapped in protective material. Diane Mann-Klager, public information officer for the incident management team at the helm of the fire, said fire managers believed that wrapping the entire stone chalet would have been challenging. “They felt that the sprinklers were enough,” Mann-Klager said.

At approximately 6:10 p.m. on Thursday, the on-scene firefighters who had been battling the “ember shower” from the approaching fire suddenly noticed puffs of smoke under an eave, fire managers say. The firefighters sprayed the area with water because they thought it was an ember on the roof. Almost instantaneously, the window broke out and flames were licking at the eaves. In a short amount of time, the chalet was engulfed. On Friday, Glacier Park Superintendent Jeff Mow thanked the firefighters for their “tireless” efforts to save the structure. He noted that the Sperry Chalet was widely loved by park employees and visitors from around the world.

Kevin Warrington, Sperry Chalet manager for concessioner Belton Chalets, Inc., said the loss of the chalet was a tragic day in Glacier Park’s history. “I have been around Sperry for my entire life and I have never expected to see anything like this,” he said. “It has been a privilege to share Sperry with the great many people that love it.”

http://flatheadbeacon.com/2017/09/01/century-old-chalet-falls-victim-glacier-park-wildfire/