Fires erupt in sizzling Texas as rain dampens West

Weather a help, a hindrance

In Montana, a light snow dusted peaks above 5,000 feet. Scattered showers dropped about a half-inch of rain in the Hamilton area on the Valley Complex fire in the Bitterroot National Forest on Friday night and Saturday morning.

A chance of rain is in the forecast through Labor Day.

Several firefighters suffered minor injuries after slipping on wet rocks, and rock slides were reported.

Half an inch of rain fell Friday night on the Clear Creek Fire in Idaho's Salmon-Challis National Forest. At more than 200,000 acres, it remained the nation's biggest fire, Hill said.

Soldiers replace Marines

Marines from California's Camp Pendleton flew home Friday after spending weeks on the Clear Creek Fire front lines. A battalion from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, replaced them. They were to receive two days of training before heading to the fire line Monday.

An Army battalion from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, was assigned to the Valley Complex in Montana's Bitterroot National Forest, the state's largest at 176,000 acres. It was 15 percent contained Saturday.

The NIFC said at least 700 homes in Ravalli County, Montana, were evacuated as the fire approached.

The Ravalli County fairgrounds, usually packed with visitors on Labor Day weekend, was instead filled with firefighter tents Saturday. Area officials said the fire had forced tourist and recreation areas to close, costing area businesses nearly $3 million a day.

Fires squelch tourism

Although rain and snow dampened the skies over Hamilton, Montana, this weekend, it's too late for that town to regain what's been lost this season in tourism.

The Bitterroot Valley is the gateway to a vast recreation area that lost more than 300,000 acres to fire, prompting state and federal government officials to close much of the public land that normally forms the backbone of Montana's tourism economy.

Diane Wolfe, a member of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said seven chamber members had reported losses totaling $500,000.

Like many local businesses that make most of their livelihood from tourists, Hamilton fishing guide Bill Bean said he has been hard hit during what is normally his busiest season. "We've lost about 76 percent of our business just for this month alone," he told CNN.

Although fire supervisors and journalists have helped fill hotel rooms, local business officials said the largest number of guests in the area -- firefighters -- traditionally are self-sufficient, living in tents and spending less on food and provisions than tourists do.

CNN Correspondent Jim Hall contributed to this report.