Gates of the Mountains -- As smoke in Helena continued to loom and the taste of fire still tainted the mountain air the sight was very different at Gates of the Mountains Sunday. Blue skies and quiet waters beckoned visitors.

After nearly two weeks of being closed to the public because of the Meriwether fire, the restrictions to private boats was lifted Sunday morning.

It was a timely change considering Sunday marked the 58th anniversary of the Mann Gulch fire where 12 firefighters lost their lives.

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Cheryl Liedle says the decision came because safety concerns aren't such an issue.

"We don't really want to limit the public access," she said. "It made no sense to keep it closed, especially with the Mann Gulch anniversary."

Boating enthusiast Lisa Rose was eager to hear the public boat restriction was lifted saying the Gates of the Mountains is her favorite area to water ski.

"I like the area -- what it looks like and there isn't a lot of people," Rose said.

She wanted to get her boat out to the lake a few times in the past couple of weeks, and was disappointed she couldn't.

"But now that it's been opened I will get it out this weekend," she said with a big smile.

Tour boats going through the historic waterway have continued to operate the entire time. Tim Crawford, owner of Gates of the Mountains Inc., says it affords visitors a unique opportunity to learn about fire ecology. He remains optimistic that the fire will benefit the land bringing in new growth and more animals.

Scott Johnson and son Brady, 11, were in Helena from Sidney for a Brewer's game and decided to take the Gates of the Mountain boat tour.

"I heard it was a great boat tour," Scott said adding that he and his son were also curious about what the fire had done.

The father son duo were all smiles as they left the boat dock Sunday afternoon and said the smokey air didn't bother them a bit.

The shoreline remains closed as does the Meriwether day use area and Coulter campground. Holter Lake area isn't closed, but Liedle is discouraging the public from going.

A new incident management team took over the 38,365- acre fire Sunday and the main fire camp was moved to Wolf Creek, including the incident command post.

The fire's growth on Sunday was minimal but activity is expected to pick up in the Hunter's Gulch area, according to Bonney McNabb, public information officer for the Meriwether Fire.

Potential winds from the northeast could funnel into the hot spot possibly creating more flames, she said.

The fire is 35 percent contained, McNabb said.