fire season

A large swath of Northwest Montana will be moving into Stage II Fire Restrictions at 12:01 am tomorrow, August 20 including Lincoln county, Sanders county, Flathead County, Lake county and Mineral county.

Missoula is currently abiding by Stage 1 fire restrictions, however, with the dry weather conditions Emergency Management Director Adrian Beck says Missoula may have to move into Stage 2 fire restrictions soon.

Fire managers are claiming that Stage 1 fire restrictions in Missoula County over the Fourth of July Weekend helped to limit the number of fires, but Montana DNRC Public Information Officer Crystal Beckman says there were more than just a few fire starts.

Congressman Ryan Zinke toured the Flathead Valley and the Hungry Horse Ranger Station earlier this week and said that fire season has certainly descended upon Northern Montana.

Experts are already predicting that Montana's fire danger this summer will be above average, and, in light of a recent history of rough fire seasons, those aren't words to take lightly. Forest Service Meteorologist Mike Richmond says for many parts of the state, the high fire risk began this week...

The National Weather Service says Montana snow pack has dropped below normal for two straight months.

With Montana’s fire season around the corner, Senator Jon Tester urged the Forest Service on Wednesday to make sure Montanans will be protected from this year’s wildfires.

The first official fire forecast for 2013 has been released and if the predictions are accurate, the year will likely play out very similarly to 2012.

Warm weather has not yet affected mountain snowpack

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