HELENA — There's no official start date to fire season in Montana, but the evidence is apparent across the state. Both human-caused and lightning-ignited wildfires have been numerous across the state and it's not even the dog days of summer yet.
Over the weekend, the 100-plus-acre Jericho Mountain Fire southwest of Helena started along with several others. The quarter-acre Tip Top Mine Fire started and was put out near Lincoln, and debris burning has been closed for the Blackfoot Valley.
The 5-acre Elk Ridge Fire and 2 acres Clemons Fire near Augusta both started and have been contained. A small fire near Dillon was caught and kept to only a tenth of an acre. The Vimy Ridge Fire in Chouteau County started Sunday and was caught and kept to a half-acre.
Up near Fort Peck Reservoir, the Pike Fire started and was put out after only burning a quarter acre. The Seven Blackfoot Fire by the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge is still burning at 2 acres. The Hole In The Wall Fire in southeast Montana near Birney is active at 2 acres. This all comes on the heels of the Hilger Valley Fire near Gates of the Mountains that burned 295 acres last week.
The Sawlog Fire near Wise River burned over 2,000 acres in May and the Banana Lake Fire by Plains burned over 800 acres in early June.
Fire season has begun, and while we can't control the lightning, we can control human-caused fires by being cautious and responsible.
