wildfire

This week, we shift gears to examine another thorny environmental issue in the West: Wildfire. Fires are getting bigger and more destructive, and as part of the ecosystem, they're not going away. Listen in as four wildfire experts discuss the issue at the Free Press Fest in Bozeman.

Public comment period opens for proposed Medicaid work requirements. Chippewa Cree Tribe awarded $2.5 million for hepatitis C treatment. Missoula County awarded $1.2 million for wildfire mitigation. Trump administration appoints new director of Montana's Rural Development office. UM, MSU report growth in enrollment and student retention

The word "wildfire" often conjures dramatic images of walls of flame, charred landscapes and one particularly famous photo of elk in a river, surrounded by flames. So, how do wildlife fare during these big fires? This week on The Big Why, a listener asks, why we don't get any statistics on wildlife that die in wildfires.

The Powell County Sheriff's Office has issued an emergency wildfire evacuation order for all residents in the OS Properties - Garnet Mountain Property area south of Helmville. Residents should leave immediately.

A fast-moving wildfire temporarily closed the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 in Missoula Friday. Buses were used to quickly evacuate businesses in the fire’s path. The fire burned an estimated 5 acres before being extinguished by firefighters.

Western Montana’s relatively tame wildfire season is suddenly ramping up in intensity, and changing weather conditions are expected to boost fire risk this week.

The City of Helena next week begins a two-month long hazardous fuels reduction project.. That means portions of some local hiking trails will be temporarily closed.

The U.S. Forest Service is moving forward with a plan to roughly double the acreage for prescribed burns across the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest.

An evacuation order issued by the Ravalli County Sheriff due to a wildfire burning in the area has been rescinded. Evacuation warnings remain in place.

A "red flag" warning means dangerous wildfire conditions are happening or about to happen. The National Weather Service says it has an updated designation for exceptionally dangerous fire conditions.