The Missoula County Sheriff's Office Facebook page is stating that families evacuated due to the Colorado Gulch Fire could be allowed to return home late Tuesday afternoon or evening.
Fire season is rapidly approaching. The Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is encouraging Missoula residents to use a three step plan to get ready. Public Relations Specialist Jordan Koppen says hes noticed many homes are not prepared.
So many fires are burning in the Northern Rockies that fire officials are allowing some to burn because all the manpower and equipment is committed elsewhere.
A fast moving fire sparked by downed power lines near Arlee was quickly attacked by several agencies, including the Salish and Kootenai Fire Division, Arlee Fire, the DNRC and the U.S. Forest Service.
Spokesman Devlin LaFrombois said the fire was first reported at about 4:30 on Sunday afternoon on the Flathead Reservation...
Summer and the fire season arrived a month early. There was hope that the coming winter might bring lots of snowpack to keep this dry spring and summer from happening two years in a row. Unfortunately, the exact opposite may be true.