DNRC

Montana’s fire season will officially end at midnight tonight.

Typically, Montana's wildfire season would officially end on September 30, but a new proclamation from Montana DNRC Director Mary Sexton and Forestry Division Administrator Bob Harrington will extend Montana’s fire season indefinitely.

The Wet Cottonwood fire is burning near Garrison Junction.

Small fire burning between Missoula and Lolo.

Fire crews from the DNRC will be burning a pile of woody, oily debris that remains from the  July 1 ExxonMobil oil spill. The debris is on an island upriver from the Duck creek bridge, near billings. Montana DEQ Project Manager Laura Alvey says due to safety concerns, burning the debris is the most effective cleanup method...

Firefighters continue to battle what is called the 41 Complex, a group of four fires burning in the Sapphire Mountains not far from Hamilton. DNRC Fire Information Officer Gil Knight says good progress was made on the Up-Top Fire and provides statistics on the firefighting efforts for Wednesday...

The 41 complex of fires burning near Hamilton in the Sapphire Mountains continues to grow..with about 10% containment acheived so far by fire officials. Fire Information Officer for the DNRC Mike Cole has details. That interview is attached.

An incident Sunday almost kept fire officials from conducting an important controlled burn on the Uptop fire, part of the 41 Complex now burning in the Sapphire Mountains not far from Hamilton. DNRC Fire Information Officer John Daugherty says two individuals on ATV’s were spotted in a closed area. Fire officials sent a helicopter to clear the area, and were able to conduct the burn…that interview

Fire Information Officer Katie Knotek has an update on the West Riverside Fire burning east of Missoula since August 22nd. That interview is attached.

Firefighters were expecting high winds to push the boundaries of the West Riverside Fire on Tuesday, but Fire Information Officer Katie Notek says the weather was a non-factor in the firefighting equation. My interview with Notek is attached.