Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday received his first wildfire season briefing of the year. The outlook is a mixed bag. Most of Montana’s land and fire management agencies say they’re prepared for fire season. The weather forecast, however, is grim.
Meteorologist Dan Borsum did not mince words in his prepared remarks to Gov. Gianforte during Monday’s briefing. Borsum, a forecaster with the Northern Rockies Coordination Center, says the 2025 fire season has “got some challenges forthcoming.”
In 2017, severe drought — exacerbated by a stubborn heat wave — led to one of the most destructive fire seasons in state history. 2021 was only marginally better.
Borsum said he sees similarities to both seasons in this summer’s wildfire outlook.
“The drought’s out there. It’s a multiple-year drought,” Borsum told MTPR. “We’re sitting there with some deficits that are 8 to 16 inches over the last three years in a number of counties across western Montana. Combine that with a hot and dry forecast and we’re just setting up for a situation where the landscape is not going to be resilient when these heat domes set up this summer.”
Borsum expects western Montana’s wildland fire activity will ramp up significantly next month. That potential expands into central and eastern Montana in August and persists through September.
Most of Montana’s fire management agencies say they have the necessary crews and supplies for what could be a difficult fire season. Agency heads say they’re committed to open communication and resource sharing this summer.
Outdoor burning in Missoula County is closed. The local fire danger rating simultaneously bumps up to ‘high’ due to the ongoing warmer-than-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation.
