Over the July 4 holiday, Montana was not completely independent of new wildfire starts. Firefighters responded to numerous, mainly small wildfire starts from both humans and lightning. One of the largest fires was the Deer Hollow Fire in Ravalli County, which exceeded 400 acres. Given drier weather conditions, it could have been much worse.
According to the Northern Rockies Coordination Center, Montana has had 730 fires that have burned over 27,000 acres so far this year. More than 21,000 of those burned acres have been from human-caused fires.
Other states in the West have had more of a blazing start to their fire season. So far this year, over 37,000 wildland fires have burned more than 3.3 million acres across the United States. Since yesterday, 274 new fires were reported nationwide. Currently, firefighters are working to suppress and contain 35 large fires across the country.
Drought-stricken Utah and Colorado have had some of the worst conditions. The Cottonwood Fire in Utah's Tushar Mountains is nearly 100,000 acres at 47% containment. The Snyder Fire on the Utah-Colorado border that burned over 30,000 acres is now 95% contained, but tragically claimed the lives of 3 firefighters in the line of duty.
On Monday, Wildland Fire Week of remembrance comes to an end, not before honoring the Storm King 14 who lost their lives on this day 32 years ago on the South Canyon Fire in Colorado.
