Observation Point Fire Spurs Bitterroot Evacuations

A wildfire initially known as the Coyote Coulee Fire, now renamed the Observation Point Fire, broke out Thursday afternoon near Lost Horse Road between Hamilton and Darby in the Bitterroot Valley. The fire rapidly expanded from 3 to over 90 acres, fueled by grass and timber, and remains 0% contained as of Thursday evening. Local authorities declared a state of emergency and issued immediate evacuation orders for residents on the north side of Lost Horse Road, with warnings for the south side and adjacent areas. Multiple firefighting resources, including local engines, two hotshot crews, smokejumpers, air tankers, and helicopters, are working to contain the blaze. A Red Cross shelter has been set up at the Assembly of God Church in Hamilton for those displaced. Law enforcement continues door-to-door evacuation alerts, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.