Wildland Fire Found in Garnet Mountains

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) are working to extinguish a wildland fire located on Bureau of Land Management  ground in a Wildlife Study Area near Windy Rock Mountain. Fifty-three personnel are cutting fire line around the 8 acre wildfire located in extremely rough terrain in beetle-kill timber.

The fire was detected yesterday around 4pm and crews were there within two hours. Engine crews from the DNRC and two DNRC initial attack helicopters were able to safely stop the fire last night. The Ridge Runners, a State Department of Corrections 20-person crew, worked on the fire throughout the night and the Flathead Hotshots and a six-person IA module from the Pintler Ranger District arrived this morning.

The crews are assisting three DNRC engine crews on the fire. The cause remains unknown but more than likely the fire is a lightning holdover from a couple days ago.