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Wildfire, fire management and air quality news for western Montana and the Northern Rockies.

Neighbors Helping Neighbors In Northwest Montana

3 fires burning near Noxon have prompted evacuations orders along Highway 56, and filled the air with smoke.
Courtesy Geri Lee
3 fires burning near Noxon have prompted evacuations orders along Highway 56, and filled the air with smoke.

Near the Montana - Idaho state line in Sanders County today, an additional 30 to 40 homes north of Noxon have been evacuated, a day after fire officials told residents in about 14 other homes to leave.

Wind and very low humidity have caused several fires burning in the Kootenai National Forest to spread, prompting concerns that they may combine, that’s according to fire information officer John Head.

Residents south of the evacuation area on Montana Highway 56 and along a nearly four-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 200 have been warned they may have to leave, too, Head said.

Earlier today, Edward O'Brien spoke with Judy Hutchins who lives in the northwestern Montana border town of Heron. Hutchins this week helped her elderly friends, Cal and Irene Ryder, who live in the Bull River Valley near Noxon, evacuate.

That’s Judy Hutchins of Heron, Montana. She spoke with Montana Public Radio’s Edward O’Brien.
 

Edward O’Brien first landed at Montana Public Radio three decades ago as a news intern while attending the UM School of Journalism. He covers a wide range of stories from around the state.
edward.obrien@umt.edu.  
(406) 243-4065
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