Increasingly hot, dry and breezy – if not outright windy – conditions are expected to continue and peak by Saturday evening.
The National Weather Service issued fire weather watches for many parts of western Montana. Meteorologists also warn of a growing fire potential in southwest, north central and eastern Montana.
Any fires that develop over the next several days will spread rapidly and be very difficult to control. Regional fires are showing active behavior.
The 1,000-acre, lighting-sparked Moose Fire southwest of Philipsburg is burning in heavy fuel.
The Granite County Sheriff’s office Thursday morning issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents of the Frogpond Basin.
Missoula rural firefighters Thursday morning snuffed out a rapidly growing grass fire in the Upper Miller Creek area. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but officials say it appears to have involved a power pole.
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions begin August 7th in Mineral, Missoula and Ravalli Counties. Among other restrictions that means building or using fires or campfires are prohibited until further notice.
Most wildfires are human caused. People are asked to be extremely cautious with ignition sources.
There’s no break in sight from regional wildfire smoke which is expected to continue until further notice.
