Monsoonal surge raises fire danger in western Montana

Gusty and erratic winds combined with the potential for frequent lightning created dangerous fire conditions Monday across much of western Montana, where numerous wildfires continue to burn amid a prolonged drought.

A red flag warning was in place for the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park though 9 p.m., Monday as a monsoonal surge infiltrated the Northern Rockies. The push was expected to usher in wind gusts up to 50 mph and dry thunderstorms with the potential to spark more fires.

"Dry lightning is notorious for sparking new blazes, especially when the ground is as dry as it is currently across the Northwest," meteorologist Renee Duff noted in an AccuWeather news report Monday.

The monsoonal event is expected to deliver some moisture to western Montana by Tuesday, the National Weather Service in Missoula predicted.

"These storms will likely become more wet, with some even containing very heavy rain," the Weather Service warned.

Any measurable rain would be a welcome development for local firefighters facing historically hot and dry conditions across the West.

The Associated Press reported Monday that more than two dozen new fires broke out across Montana, Idaho and Wyoming on Sunday alone, further straining firefighting resources already stretched thin by a high number of early summer fires.

There have already been more than 34,700 wildfires across the U.S. so far this year, burning over 2 million acres, according to the AccuWeather report. This is trending above last year's 28,423 fires by July 16, 2020.

ON THE Lolo National Forest near Plains and Superior, firefighters made encouraging progress over the weekend in containing several fires initially assigned to the West Lolo Complex. According to fire officials, eight of those fires have been contained and command of those fires returned to the local ranger districts.

The complex was estimated at 2,055 acres on Monday. More than 440 firefighters were assigned to the complex, including six helicopters, six dozers and six water tenders.

"Currently, firefighters are focusing their efforts on completing containment lines on Deep Lookout Mountain Fire and securing the fire’s perimeter," a Monday fire report noted. "As portions of line are contained on the Deep Lookout Mountain Fire, resources are re-assigned to the Thorne Creek Fire, especially those involved in scouting, working with heavy equipment, and long-term planning."

On the Kootenai National Forest, the Burnt Peak Fire was estimated at 1,977 acres Monday and was 13% contained. More than 230 firefighters were working the area about 6 miles southwest of Troy along a portion of the Keeler/Rattle Creek Road.

An inversion Sunday limited fire activity. For the past few days, the fire spread has mainly occurred across the slope with small uphill runs.

Some residents in the vicinity of the fire are on pre-evacuation notice.

The largest blaze in the region is the Trail Creek Fire west of Wisdom on the Beaverhead Deer Lodge National Forest. It was estimated at 23,090 acres on Monday and threatening structures on the National Park Service Big Hole Battlefield.

About 150 firefighters were assigned to the fire. People were advised to check the status of Montana 43 before traveling into the area.

MEANWHILE, SMOKE continued to pour into the skies over the region from the local blazes and fires elsewhere in the West, causing unhealthy air quality around numerous Montana cities Monday morning — including Missoula, Anaconda, Butte, Great Falls, Cut Bank and Browning — and around McCall, Idaho, according to state and federal pollution monitoring data.

When the air quality is unhealthy, people should remain indoors as much as possible and limit themselves to 30 minutes of light outdoor activity.

Air quality in Butte, Havre, Helena and Missoula was unhealthy for sensitive groups, which includes children, pregnant women, older adults and people with chronic disease, such as asthma or cardiovascular disease.

Record-setting, triple-digit heat was expected for eastern parts of the state Monday. Billings was forecast to reach 106 degrees, while Glasgow was predicted to hit 108.

A MONTANA firefighter was hospitalized in serious condition at the University of Utah Burn Center in Salt Lake City for burns he suffered when strong winds shifted suddenly on a fire in south-central Montana.

Dan Steffensen was injured fighting a fire in the Harris Hill area near Joliet, which has torched 4 square miles (10.5 square kilometers) of land. Steffensen was on a two-person engine crew when the winds shifted and he was overrun by the fast-moving fire, Red Lodge Fire Rescue said.

A Montana Highway Patrol trooper who helped rescue the crew of a downed firefighting helicopter last month was to be given Monday the Award of Valor, the patrol's highest award.

Trooper Amanda Villa was setting up a roadblock for a fire on June 15 when she saw a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation helicopter make a hard landing near U.S. Highway 12 east of Townsend due to strong winds. Villa and a Broadwater County sheriff’s deputy responded to help.

A passenger who was able to get out of the helicopter told Villa that four more people were inside. She and the deputy helped the remaining passengers to safety as the helicopter and nearby grass burned.