Update: Above Normal Risk of Significant Montana Fires

The latest fire outlook from the Predictive Services team at the National Interagency Fire Center is confirming the outlooks from the past couple of monthly reports, namely that the significant fire potential is growing in Montana, especially in far Western Montana and the northern reaches of the state.

The updated August report shows the significant wildland fire potential is now "above" normal from the Bitterroot Valley north through Missoula to the Kootenai-Cabinet, and also from North Central Montana and along the eastern border counties.

That doesn't change through September, and the end of fire season, with a "normal" risk of fires for Central Southwest and Southeast Montana.

NIFC graphic

Forecasters say the outlook for early August is for multiple dry cold fronts for Montana, with little in the way of monsoonal moisture getting this far north. The drop in precipitation at the end of July has been especially impactful for Northwest Montana, with Southwest Montana receiving some rains.

    🔥 The fire threat along the eastern border counties will climb due to the threat of thunderstorms the rest of the summer.

Updating Montana's current fires

Nearly 300 firefighters are now engaged in that effort to contain the Skillet Fire, which continues to burn in the timberlands west of Olney in Flathead County. Latest maps show the fire at 25-hundred acres. Heavy smoke has kept aircraft grounded.

Containment on the Elder 1 Fire southwest of Missoula has now hit 52-percent, with firefighters seeing minimal growth in the cooler weather.

The Silvertip Fire, burning in the Bob Marshall backcountry, continues to be the largest blaze in the state, topping 61-hundred acres yesterday. But that fire is just being monitored, with a number of trails in the Spotted Bear Ranger District closed for safety.]

Moose Fire, Granite Co; USFS

The Moose Fire in Granite County is still at zero containment, but growth has been marginal since the weekend at just over 6-hundred acres. Two fires raising some concern because of their proximity are the Bobcat Lakes and Sand Creek fires burning in the West Pioneers outside the Big Hole.

      Taken together, those now map at about 3000 acres with no containment.

Arrest made in Spokane fires

And major news out of Spokane last night, as authorities announced they've arrested an arsonist believed to have started the largest fire. 37-year-old Aaron Farinacci was spotted by an eyewitness lighting grass where the Old Trails Fire started on Saturday.

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels says Farinacci was initially contacted during the fires, but later identified as the case information developed.