MISSOULA, Mont. - The Latest on wildfires burning in western Montana (all times local):

3:40 p.m.

A wildfire is delaying the start of classes for students in Seeley Lake.

Classes at Seeley-Swan High School had been scheduled to start on Tuesday, but were cancelled due to an evacuation order that affected about 580 homes in and around the community of Seeley Lake.

Classes will not resume until at least next Tuesday, Sept. 5, due to continuing wildfire activity.

Seeley Lake Elementary Principal Chris Stout says classes there weren't scheduled to start until next Tuesday. The school is included in the evacuation order area, so it cancelled the teacher training that had been scheduled for this week.

Stout says if the school is still under an evacuation warning on Saturday, he'll delay the start of the elementary school year until Sept. 11.

11:55 a.m.

Law enforcement officers have ordered new evacuations near two western Montana wildfires.

The Missoula County sheriff's office issued an evacuation order that affected about 580 homes in and around the community of Seeley Lake on Monday after erratic winds blew the Rice Ridge Fire to within a half mile of some structures. It was not clear if all the homes were occupied.

Classes at Seeley-Swan High School were cancelled on Tuesday due to the evacuations. Classes at the elementary aren't scheduled to start until next week, but Principal Chris Stout says he's cancelled the teacher training scheduled for this week because the school is included in the evacuation order.

The Rice Ridge Fire has burned 48 square miles (124 square kilometres) since it started in mid-July. The air quality in Seeley Lake ranged from very unhealthy to hazardous Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the Ravalli County sheriff's office ordered the evacuation of 65 homes south of Darby due to a new fire that started Monday.

11:15 a.m.

Law enforcement officers have ordered new evacuations near two western Montana wildfires.

The Missoula County sheriff's office evacuated a portion of the community of Seeley Lake on Monday after erratic winds blew the Rice Ridge Fire to within a half-mile of some structures.

Fire information officer Chad Mullman says an unforeseen shift in the winds led to the evacuations. School was cancelled on Tuesday.

The Rice Ridge Fire has burned 48 square miles (124 square kilometres) since it started in mid-July. The air quality in Seeley Lake ranged from very unhealthy to hazardous for most of Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, the Ravalli County sheriff's office evacuated some residents south of Darby due to a fire that started Monday and was burning on private property within a mile of the nearest structure. Residents of another 225 homes were on an evacuation warning

News from © The Associated Press, 2017