LINCOLN — As ash rained down on the town of Lincoln late Tuesday night, 35 homes were evacuated ahead of a fast-moving fire.

The Snow-Talon Fire, burning in heavy timber about 15 miles northeast of Lincoln, prompted emergency officials with Lewis and Clark County to issue an evacuation order for the Elk Trail, Lander's Fork, Copper Creek, Alice Creek, and Cadotte Creek areas.

Sadie Campbell, a fire information officer in Lincoln, said the fast-moving fire gobbled up nearly 1,000 acres in a matter of hours.

As of 10:30 p.m., the fire had burned nearly 10,000 acres total. The blaze continued to run northeast toward the Scapegoat Wilderness. The fire was burning freely, Campbell said, as resources were allocated elsewhere.

"We did see extreme fire behavior this evening," Campbell said. "It was fuel-driven and that was before these high winds blew in."

The fire raced on a wave of wind toward the populated drainages east of Lincoln. The first evacuation order was issued shortly before 7 p.m. Other orders followed through the night.

Later in the evening, Elkie Giem, a Red Cross volunteer stationed in Lincoln, said that five families had registered with the agency. None of those families required shelter as of presstime.

"We're currently just a registration point," Giem said. "If somebody needed to stay we'd set up as a shelter."

Giem and other Red Cross volunteers worked from the Blackfoot Valley Bible Church. She said those families heeding the evacuation orders appeared positive, even as ash settled down on the mountain community.

"They've all been prepared," Giem said. "They all seem pretty hopeful."

If circumstances required it, the Red Cross could establish an evacuation shelter at the Lincoln High School.

"There are no motel or hotel rooms available anywhere in Lincoln," said Roger Stone, director of the Helena chapter of the Red Cross. "We have 20 cots available with us. We'll play it by ear."

A red flag warning was issued to fire crews earlier Tuesday telling of possible high winds and lightning by day's end.

It was ominous news for fire officials and those charged with the safety of Lincoln-area residents.

"We have an evacuation team in place," Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Cheryl Liedle said earlier in the day.

But the Moose-Wasson Fire, burning only seven miles south of Lincoln, was also a concern Tuesday.

Resources available for the entire Lincoln Complex were being used to defend the line against the Moose-Wasson Fire as it progressed toward the township proper.

At last count, roughly 400 firefighters and one helicopter were battling the Moose-Wasson blaze.

"We're going to work that fire all night," Campbell said. "They'll concentrate on holding it."

Campbell said today's plan depends largely on the weather and fire activity. High winds are expected to continue through noon today.

While fire officials buckled down for a long night, amateur radio operator Shawn Horne of Helena, working under the call sign W7-TCK, broadcast the latest updates live over his ham radio station.

Helena listeners can tune in with a scanner at 147.82 mHz.

"We're keeping everyone in Helena informed of what's going on up here," Horne said.

Reporter Martin Kidston can be reached at 447-4086, or by e-mail at mkidston@helenair.com