![South East Montana Firefighters Look for Help From Rain](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2012/04/KGVO-state-wide-logo-300x200.jpg?w=980&q=75)
South East Montana Firefighters Look for Help From Rain
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Crews took advantage of mild weather and calmer fire activity on Thursday to make headway on five large southeastern Montana blazes.
Officials are now managing the fires as one 470-square-mile wildfire complex so they can quickly shuttle resources between them.
The Department of Natural Resource and Conservation estimates that the fires have so far cost $5.2 million, of which $2.7 million is expected to come out of state coffers after anticipated federal reimbursements.
About $30 million in state money has been set aside for such emergencies this year.
The state has so far been hit with 358 fires covering almost 700 square miles, with more than 80 percent human caused.
Nearly 1,700 firefighters are in Montana fighting the blazes, which so far have destroyed 82 homes and 161 other buildings.
More From Newstalk KGVO 1290 AM & 98.3 FM
![Montana Air Quality Takes a Turn for the Worse](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/07/attachment-MissoulaSmoke716.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Sunshine Good for Your Soul, but Montana Fire Danger Climbing](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2023/07/attachment-FiredangerModerateLow.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Montana’s Fire Season May Not Be As Bad As We Feared](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/04/attachment-FiredangerModerateLow.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Montana’s Snowpack: Will More Arrive In Time For Summer?](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/03/attachment-LakeMacDonald21624.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Want an Exciting Job? Forest Service Wants Montana Firefighters](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2024/03/attachment-FirefightersRoaringLion.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Montana Firefighters May Finally Get Better Pay For Their Hard Work](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2023/11/attachment-MooseCrFirefighters.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Data Shows 1,300 Montana Wildfires, River Road East Spreads Fast](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2023/08/attachment-MT-Fire.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Over 20,000 Acres Burn as High Winds Rake Northern Rockies](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2023/07/attachment-ElkhornFire730USFS.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
![Pilot and CEO Tim Sheehy Working the Colt Fire Near Seeley Lake](http://townsquare.media/site/119/files/2023/07/attachment-featured-image-2023-07-24T081654.312.jpg?w=980&q=75)