Updated 7:12 p.m. July 14, 2021 Beaverhead County Evacuations Eight homes were evacuated Wednesday near the wise river south of Highway 43 as the Alder Creek Fire burns with 0% containment in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. Beaverhead County Sheriff Paul Craft tells Montana Public Radio the eight houses were evacuated on the south side of Highway 43 between Alder Creek turnoff and mile marker 62. Craft says more evacuations are likely Thursday ..read more

Updated July 13, 2021 6:13 p.m. Burnt Peak Fire Kootenai National Forest fire officials say a pre-evacuation notice is in place for North Fork Keeler residents due to the Burnt Peak Fire burning over 900 acres southwest of Troy. Officials say the fire is now within two miles of structures and heavy equipment is being used to improve access for firefighters ..read more

Updated 07/12/21, 6:30 p.m. The most active of three wildfires burning in southeast Montana’s Yellowstone and Musselshell counties doubled in size over the weekend ..read more

Updated 7:25 p.m., July 08, 2021. Cascade County Disaster and Emergency Services is asking residents near the Balsinger Fire burning in the Little Belt Mountains area to prepare to evacuate. According to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the pre-evacuation ordered is for the west side of the Belt Park subdivision to Highway 89 and the Deer Creek estates subdivision. At the time of Cascade County’s pre-evacuation notice shortly before 5 p.m., the Balsinger fire was burning about 20 acres ..read more

Updated 1:12 p.m., July 11, 2021 The Missoula Sherriff’s office says an evacuation warning along Highway 12 from the Idaho border to Lolo Hot Springs remains in effect due to the Lolo Creek Fire. The warning was issued late Saturday night after the wildfire was first reported around 5 p.m. According to the Lolo National Forest, the fire is estimated to be 12 acres in size and is burning between mile marker one and two along the Highway 12 corridor. Officials say the fire continues to burn actively in heavy dead and downed timber about a mile west of Highway 12. Officials say if you are traveli ..read more

The Missoula County Sheriff’s office issued an evacuation warning from the Idaho border to Lolo Hot Springs late Saturday night due to the emerging Lolo Creek Fire. The three-to-five-acre wildfire is located between mile marker one and two approximately one mile away from highway 12. Police say if you are traveling along highway 12, do not stop. Deputies are notifying residents and visitors along highway 12 of the evacuation notice. Multiple helicopters are on scene along with engines and firefighters. A fire weather watch is in effect through tomorrow evening. High temperatures and dry condit ..read more

Updated 5:30 p.m. Brackett Fire The Northern Rockies Coordination Center’s report Friday morning describes extreme fire behavior and wind-driven runs on the Brackett Fire, 24 miles north of Terry in Prairie County. Mark Jacobsen with the Bureau of Land Management’s Miles City office says the 1,200-acre predominately grassland fire is contained although there are a few cottonwood draws that are still smoldering ..read more

Updated 7:25 p.m., July 08, 2021. Cascade County Disaster and Emergency Services is asking residents near the Balsinger Fire burning in the Little Belt Mountains area to prepare to evacuate. According to the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, the pre-evacuation ordered is for the west side of the Belt Park subdivision to Highway 89 and the Deer Creek estates subdivision. At the time of Cascade County’s pre-evacuation notice shortly before 5 p.m., the Balsinger fire was burning about 20 acres. We'll publish updates here as more info becomes available ..read more

Widespread wildfire smoke smudged the sky in parts of western and central Montana Thursday morning. A Missoula air quality specialist says it marks the unofficial beginning of what is likely to be a long wildfire smoke season ..read more

Updated at 6:00 p.m. Robertson Draw Fire A Montana man pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to sparking the 30,000-acre Robertson Draw Fire south of Red Lodge last month ..read more