Montana fire officials estimate approximately 38 residences have been lost to fires this year, and roughly 600 people are displaced from their homes due to evacuation orders on nine fires.

The Boulder 2700 Fire burning more than 1,000 acres east of Flathead Lake near Polson has burned 8 primary structures and 17 secondary structures as of this afternoon, according to incident officials. Evacuation orders issued July 31 for residents along Highway 35 from mile marker 6 to 13 on the east side of Flathead Lake, including all of Finley Point, remain in effect.

4:45 p.m.: A wildfire burning 8 miles east of Polson has resulted in structure losses and evacuations on the East Side of Flathead Lake. Lake County issued a mandatory evacuation notice for the Finley point area early Sunday morning. The evacuation area also includes the section of highway 35 from mile marker 6 through mile marker 13. Entry to Finley Point was closed as of 2 p.m. with predicted high winds in the area.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office has issued a pre-evacuation warning for additional areas near the South Yaak Fire burning 4 miles northwest of Troy.

Gov. Greg Gianforte joined six other western governors Friday in a meeting with President Joe Biden to talk about wildfires. Thousands of acres are burning across the state of Montana amid a severe drought and high temperatures.

As more than 20 fires burn in Montana, a debate over how to manage forests to prepare for burns flared up in a Bozeman City Commission meeting Tuesday night. Commissioners narrowly passed a measure to support a controversial logging project.

The 53,000 acre Poverty Flats Fire is threatening more than 1,240 homes around Big Horn County. It’s also threatening infrastructure, utilities and roads in the area.

New evacuation orders and pre-evacuation warnings went into effect Monday in western and central Montana, and air quality took a dive across much of the state.

Evacuation orders are in effect for Belt Park in Cascade County, and evacuation warnings are in effect for areas near Troy and Thompson Falls. In central Montana, five firefighters were injured Thursday afternoon while battling a lightning-caused fire.

New restrictions on campfires or smoking on public lands start Monday in parts of NW Montana. The Stage II restrictions come as the state faces a severe drought, more hot weather ahead and firefighting resources stretched thin.