Heat returns with highs in the 90s

Despite scattered showers and lower temperatures in Northwest Montana last week, the Flathead Valley and surrounding areas remain under Stage One Fire restrictions.

“Looking at the weather forecast, in a couple warm days we’ll be right back to where we were before what little rain we got,” said Lincoln Chute, the Flathead County Fire Service Area manager.

Those warm days are coming.

Another heat wave is forecast to begin today, with temperatures in Kalispell projected to reach into the 90s for the next four days.

Today’s high is forecast at 90 degrees, with Friday through Sunday expected to rise to 96 degrees each day, according to the National Weather Service.

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms is being forecast for Monday, with a predicted high of 92 degrees. Tuesday and Wednesday are currently expected to reach the mid- to upper 80s, also with a chance of showers and thunderstorms.

High temperatures are expected to reach the 80s for the next several days on the east side of Glacier National Park, where the Reynolds Creek Fire is burning.

Stage I fire restrictions remain in effect in Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties, as well as the Flathead and Kootenai national forests and Glacier National Park. All campfires are prohibited except at designated, developed campsites and smoking is allowed only in areas cleared of flammable materials.

A press release from Flathead National Forest stated Tuesday that 22 new wildfires had been reported in the Kalispell area in the past week.

A majority of those were caused by people, such as unattended campfires or discarded cigarettes. Chute said most of the human-caused wildfires to which he has responded originated from illegal campfires and debris burns.

“We just really need to have the public’s help,” he said. “We can’t do anything about the lightning, but if we can limit the human-caused fires it’s a huge value.”