SEELEY LAKE, Mont. - Saturday, firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures to improve and expand fire lines for the Liberty Fire. It's burning mostly on the Flathead National Forest, 17 miles southeast of Arlee and 12 miles north of Johnsrud Road.

Evacuation warnings remain for the Placid Lake and Finley Creek areas, but public information officers shared promising news at a community meeting Saturday night.

A lot of people at the public meeting expressed gratitude for firefighters working on nearby blazes. One woman brought donated cherries to the fire crews. But residents also expressed deep concern.

"We're in the woods, and it's only the beginning of August with no rain in sight," said nearby resident Chris Benton. "Yes. We're very worried."

Benton is just one of many nearby residents wanting to know what the Liberty Fire might do. There are evacuations nearby, but officials say they could be lifted as soon as next week.

"There are no threats to structures at this time," Public Information Officer Richard Hadley says. "it's just a matter of being cautious."

Fire bosses say they have solid containment lines. They're also relying on areas already burned by previous fires to serve as a buffer since there's not a lot of fuel there.

"I feel confident that we're not threatened by this fire they're talking about," Benton said. "And if no other fires start, we'll probably be okay."

Excerpt from:

Cooler temperatures help fire crews on the Liberty Fire - NBC Montana