SW Montana Wildfires Burn 47,000 Acres as Heat Returns
SkimNews Take
Temporary rain gave firefighters a narrow window of progress on three simultaneous blazes, but the synchronized return of heat and wind across southwestern Montana means any containment gains could unravel in tandem rather than gradually.
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- Firefighters are gaining ground on three large wildfires that have burned more than 47,000 acres across southwestern Montana, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
- Recent rainfall slowed the fires' growth across southwestern Montana, providing a window for containment progress on the blazes that have collectively scorched more than 47,000 acres.
- Warmer temperatures, lower humidity and breezy conditions are now returning to southwestern Montana, undermining the moisture that had helped firefighters gain ground.
- The U.S. Forest Service is tracking three large active wildfires across southwestern Montana, with the more than 47,000 acres burned underscoring the scale of the ongoing fire season.
Why it matters: Firefighters had gained ground after rainfall slowed the three southwestern Montana wildfires that have burned more than 47,000 acres, but with warmer, drier, and breezy conditions returning, the window for holding containment before more acreage is lost is closing for crews and nearby communities.
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