A wildfire in the Mission Mountains east of Flathead Lake spread overnight Saturday, destroying up to 20 structures and forcing mandatory evacuations of the Skidoo Lane area and Finley Point.
According to C.T. Camel, information officer for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes' Division of Fire, initial estimations put the number of structures lost in the fire "in the teens, up to 20."
He said Sunday morning that structures were destroyed on both sides of the highway between mile markers 9 and 10.
"The downdraft winds are what got them," Camel said. "Then it started spotting downhill and across the highway."
He said fire crews have been working all night, and have saved a few homes.