Missoula Vs. Bozeman, Which Montana City Saves Renters More?

Renting a home in Montana continues to offer massive savings compared to buying, particularly in the state’s college and growth centers.

According to a new study by NetCredit analyzing Zillow rental listings and estimated monthly homebuying costs, Missoula ranks as the best city in Montana for renters.

Monthly renting in Missoula costs an average of fourteen-hundred eighty-six dollars—about 55% less than the estimated thirty-three-hundred-dollar monthly cost of buying.

Bozeman follows closely, where renting saves residents nearly 50% compared to homeownership.

🏡 Rankings show renters saving roughly 41% in Billings, 32% in Great Falls, and nearly 22% in Butte.

Governor promises firefighting help

As fires rage all across the Northwest and other parts of the West this week, Montana continues to benefit from a somewhat slower start to fire season here. Montana DNRC is reporting 12-additional small fire starts through yesterday, with 125 fire starts in the past week.

Yet, even as Montana fire teams remain on guard here, state leaders say they're ready to send help to other states that were already running out of firefighters several weeks ago.

Governor Greg Gianforte says the state has accounted for a certain number of teams that could be called out of state, and in fact has already had some National Guard air crews helping in Washington.

"We have mutual aid agreements with our neighboring states. We made sure we kept what we needed to fight fire here. If our neighbors need our help, we'll be there." -Gov. Gianforte

Here at home, the Governor says DNRC is continuing to work with local fire departments to respond to fires as rapidly as possible, continuing a policy that's helped curb at least a big portion of fire starts the past few years.

This quiet corner of Glacier is about to get busy

Visitors planning a late summer trip to Glacier National Park’s remote North Fork area will need to pack some patience and prepare for closures. Starting in late July, park crews will begin work to plug the historic Butte Oil Well near Kintla Lake.

The well, which actually predates the park's establishment, is being permanently capped after monitoring equipment detected leaking gases. The extensive project will require temporary closures through the fall.

The Kintla Lake Wilderness Campground will be shut down completely starting July 27th and lasting through late August to accommodate active construction and heavy helicopter flights. Hikers can also expect intermittent delays and closures on the Kintla-Boulder Pass Trail during those operations.

While the main front-country campground at Kintla Lake will remain open for first-come, first-served camping, park officials warn all visitors to expect increased heavy equipment traffic along the Inside North Fork Road between Polebridge and the lake.

Victim: Can't believe how fast that bison went

If there's a warning from the man who was flung into the air by an enraged bison this month, it's that the big bulls, which can literally weigh a ton, move a lot faster than you might expect.

65-year-old Carl McDaniel is talking about the attack on July 20th, and in a video from his hospital room at Bozeman Health, says he was just out for an evening walking around the Biscuit Bay campground in Yellowstone with his grandson when he got into the vision of the enraged bull.

The viral video, shot by Bozeman photographer Mike Macleod, shows McDaniel off in the distance as the bison rolls in the dust, which is part of their actions during the rut, and then charges a passing truck before attacking the man and his grandson.

McDaniel's big takeaway is the speed of that charge.

"They move faster than you could ever imagine. He just kept coming and he was more aggressive and as soon as he got off that tree. He launched me in the air." -Carl McDaniel

It's the second attack by a bison in the park this summer. A 12-year-old youth was injured earlier, although the park hadn't released full details of that incident.

More Yellowstone geyser shenanigans

Two tourists sparked outrage this week after walking dangerously close to the scalding water at Yellowstone National Park's Grand Prismatic Spring. Montana resident Tanya Saueressig filmed the dark-haired duo taking selfies on Sunday afternoon. She reported feeling helpless due to a lack of cell reception and park rangers in the immediate area. Temperatures in the spring range from 145 to 188 degrees Fahrenheit, and stepping off the boardwalks damages the fragile microbial mats that give the feature its vibrant colors.

Former National Park Service law enforcement official Greg Jackson told the Cowboy State Daily that while most visitors follow the rules, authorities continue struggling to deter what he calls "the 0.1%" who ignore safety barriers. Park officials remind visitors that thermal trespass is a crime punishable by fines, jail time, and being banned from the park.