Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation

Our question this week comes from a listener in Helena named Bob Flipovich, who wants to know who owns the most water rights in Montana. Water rights determine who can take water out of our lakes and streams, and how much they can take.

Montana’s top forester, Sonya Germann, will become the next Bureau of Land Management director for Montana and the Dakotas next month.

Montana fire officials are reminding the public of fire danger across the state approaching the Fourth of July holiday. The Flathead, Lolo and Bitterroot National Forests are all currently under moderate fire danger.

Montana’s cool, wet spring has improved the state’s drought conditions. The state is expected to release a snapshot of drought conditions Thursday.

Federal and state land managers in Montana are not yet fully staffed with their usual number of seasonal firefighters. During its hiring process, the U.S. Forest Service has faced the same workforce shortage pressures affecting the private sector.

Under what’s known as Good Neighbor Authority, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation can carry out logging, thinning and other projects on U.S. Forest Service Land.

Montana’s seasonal firefighters are getting a pay bump. State officials hope the roughly 12% immediate raise, which brings minimum base pay to $15.50, will help recruit and retain more wildland firefighters.

High winds, months of drought and record temperatures fueled wildfires in central Montana this week that burned thousands of acres. Dozens of homes, grain elevators and bridges have been lost. MTPR’s Shaylee Ragar talked to some of those impacted by the fires.

Because trees can capture and store carbon, forests play a big role in tackling climate change. Recently, however, a study found that insects and diseases are threatening forests' carbon storage potential.

Wildfire evacuations and restrictions are rolling back across Montana amid widespread precipitation and cooler temperatures. But Montana’s 2021fire season is by no means over.