Fire season expected to ramp up with hot, dry conditions

Fire season is ramping up in Montana and is expected to increase as hot and dry conditions intensify this week.

According to the National Weather Service, south Lincoln County is expected to see daytime high temperatures at 100 or higher through Sunday. North Lincoln County will see the century mark begin Wednesday and continue for the remainder of the week.

The Kootenai National Forest and Lolo National Forest went to very high fire danger while the Flathead National Forest remains at low fire danger, mainly thanks to a wet spring. Lands administered by the Montana Department of Conservation and Natural Resources also went to very high fire danger.

Idaho’s Panhandle National Forest is at high danger.

Wildland fire officials with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes Division of Fire in Ronan raised the fire danger to very high July 11 within the Flathead Indian Reservation. Residents and visitors are asked to use caution when outdoors.

Very high fire danger means that dry grasses and needles ignite easily, fires can spread rapidly and may be difficult to control. There are no restrictions in place at this time, but residents and visitors are urged to exercise caution when recreating outdoors.

Campers should extinguish all campfires properly, drowning them with plenty of water and stirring to make sure everything is cold to the touch. Unattended campfires are likely to escape. Always attend your campfire and use established fire rings. If it is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave.

Those hauling trailers should be sure all vehicle towing chains are properly secured. Dragging tow chains may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and start a wildfire. 

Also, fireworks are prohibited on all tribal, state and federal classified forestlands.

Driving or parking in tall grass may spark a fire and farmers should hay in the mornings or late evenings. 

Debris burning is illegal during fire season, July 1 to Sept. 30.

While northwest Montana has been spared large fires so far, area crews across the region have become busy recently with several small blazes scattered across the region.

In the Kootenai region, a number of small wildfires never got any traction as crews responded quickly, forest officials said.

All fires reported last week are now either out or in controlled status, including the Friday Fire on the Three Rivers Ranger District which was held to 0.53 acres. Helicopters made multiple bucket drops on the blaze near Keystone Mountain, west of Sylvanite, while engines and ground crews worked it, too.

The Lightning Peak Fire, in a small draw below the peak, was held at one-quarter acre after it was detected Friday afternoon. It was caused by sparks from logging equipment, according to DNRC Libby Unit Fire Management Officer Logan Sandman.

The Tiny Larch Fire, just south of Happy's Inn, was caused when a tree fell on a powerline, Sandman said. It's listed as controlled after burning one-tenth of an acre.

The Hammer Cutoff Fire is listed as out after burning one-tenth of an acre.

The Lick Lake fire on the Rexford/Fortine Ranger District is now out after burning one-quarter acre.

According to Sanders County Wildland Fire Information, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation firefighters just about have the River Road West Fire, southwest of Plains, contained. 

Of undetermined human origin, the wildfire burned 1.5 acres June 12 before the efforts of a combined force of state, U.S. Forest Service and Plains Paradise rural and city firefighters, bolstered by a helicopter running buckets of water to the fire from the Clark Fork River, halted the spread of the blaze.

The Horse Gulch Fire, located north of Canyon Ferry Reservoir, is up to 12,797 acres.

The Helena Lewis and Clark National Forest has issued a closure order for National Forest System lands around the fire area.