Montana Wildfire News
Wildfire, fire management and air quality news for western Montana and the northern Rockies.
Wildfires across the country are getting bigger, hotter and more devastating. But what’s all this fire really mean — for the West, for firefighters and for everyday folks? Tag along with a firefighter in this episode of Fireline.
-
The Colt Fire 15 miles northwest of Seeley Lake has grown to nearly 3,000 acres. The lightning-caused fire nearly doubled in size over the past two days and has prompted evacuation orders and warnings for some area residents.
-
An evacuation order is in effect due to the Colt Fire, burning 15 miles northwest of Seeley Lake. Evacuations are ordered along Highway 83 between mile-marker 27 and mile-marker 31, Rainy Lake to Summit Lake. An evacuation warning is in effect between mile-marker 25.5 and mile-marker 27, as well as residences on the east side of Lake Inez, specifically those residences on Beargrass Ln and West Lake Way.
-
Bitterroot National Forest raised its fire danger to high this week. Montana wildlife officials restrict afternoon fishing on three rivers in southwest Montana.
-
MT’s fire season got off to a slow start this year due to persistent rainfall. But fire officials told Gov. Gianforte that a drying and warming trend will change that.
-
Regions across Montana are forecasted to experience declines in air quality this weekend as smoke from Canadian wildfires moves south. According to Montana’s Department of Environmental Quality, plumes will concentrate along the Rocky Mountain Front and regions east of the Continental Divide.
-
Wildfire activity across the country is below normal this year. As the summer fire season starts to ramp up, experts ask the public to help prevent unnecessary fires.
-
Forecasts for this summer’s wildfire season predict much of the state will experience normal wildfire risk, but northwest Montana could experience higher than usual wildfire activity.
-
A federal court in Missoula ruled Friday that the U.S. Forest Service is violating federal law by contaminating waterways with toxic fire retardant.
-
Under a new state law anyone using an unauthorized drone that interrupts wildfire fighting efforts could now face misdemeanor criminal charges, stiff fines and even jail time.
-
Smoke from more than a hundred active wildfires in Canada is spreading throughout Montana and affecting air quality across the state.