Borsum also warned that a period of warmer and drier conditions known as El Niño could prolong fire season into the fall, and prime the state for an early start next year.
Montana’s fire season got off to a slow start this year thanks to persistent rainfall. But fire officials told Gov. Greg Gianforte Tuesday that a drying and warming trend will soon change that.
Meteorologist Dan Borsum with the Northern Rockies Coordination Center (NRCC) warned the governor that Montanans should be prepared for a big change in fire weather over the coming weeks.
“We’ve had just enough moisture from thunderstorms to hold things off, so we’ve been getting up to a point where we’re almost seeing cascading increases in fire activity,” Borsum said. “We’re not there yet.”
Borsum said northwest Montana in particular is at risk for an above-normal fire season due to ongoing drought, reduced snowpack and an increased supply of fuels like brush and grass.
While managers said the season has been mild so far, they noted 87% of this year’s fires have been human-caused, compared to about 75% on average. The governor urged Montana residents to be vigilant of behaviors that could spark a fire.
