National Interagency Fire Center

Montana’s cool, wet spring and early summer is on the cusp of giving way to hotter and drier conditions. The summer wildfire season will soon ramp up, though potential for significant fires remains normal this 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.

Potential for significant wildland fire is anticipated to be normal this June, according to the latest forecast from the National Interagency Fire Center. However, that could change later this summer, especially in areas east of the Continental Divide.

The growing national risk of wildfires prompted experts this week to ratchet up the alert system for firefighting resources. It’s a subtle acknowledgment that Montana’s regular wildland fire season is just around the corner.

The National Interagency Fire Center Tuesday bumped the national preparedness level up a notch to its next-to-highest rating.The agency says this is the…

Updated 5 p.m.Robertson Draw FireCrews had contained more than half of the 30,000 acre Robertson Draw Fire south of Red Lodge as of Tuesday morning.In an…

Fire experts say the potential for significant wildland fires west of the Divide is normal for now but will grow and spread into tinder-dry eastern…

A wildfire that has blackened the base of Mount Sentinel east of the University of Montana is now 75 percent contained, according to a 9 p.m. update from…

Fire potential in Western Montana this summer is predicted to be above normal, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.“The wild card, of…

New national wildfire response plans released Thursday give us a better picture of what firefighting will now look like in the COVID-19 era.The days of…