Forecasters say smoky skies are unlikely to clear soon
Aaron Bolton
Wildfire smoke is blanketing much of western Montana. Parts of the Flathead and Bitterroot valleys had air quality considered unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Forecasters say a high-pressure system will continue to send smoke from wildfires in Oregon and Washington for the foreseeable future.
Public health officials say people sensitive to smoke should limit their time outdoors. They also say people should find ways to create clean air spaces in their homes.
You can do that with a hepa filter or even by attaching a furnace filter to a box fan. Make sure the filter is rated to filter out PM 2.5 particulate.
Mild winter boosts mule deer populations, wildlife officials say
AJ Williams
Montana's mule deer population is on an upswing, according to survey results released by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.
The agency attributes the increase in fawn recruitment – meaning those who survive past their first winter – to mild winter weather which expanded the deer's forgeable range earlier in the spring. According to FWP, the state’s mule deer population is still below long-term averages, and the agency's goal remains to increase the species' population.
Some regions have not yet seen the increase, according to FWP's Game Management Bureau Chief Brian Wakeling, but this year's favorable conditions and increased nutrients may aid mule deer survival next winter.
