MISSOULA — It was a very busy 4th of July holiday for firefighters in Western Montana.
The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) reports crews responded to 17 wildfires over the holiday weekend.
All of the fires have been contained or controlled with the largest blaze being the seven-acre MM 141 Fire in Granite County.
The DNRC notes in a news release that all of the fires that crews responded to were human-caused and could have been prevented.
“Many of our recent wildfires were caused by humans lighting fireworks in unsafe conditions, however, there were also wildfires started by dragging trailer chains, bonfires, and equipment. These types of wildfire starts often continue through the summer and aren’t just a ‘holiday’ occurrence,” explained DNRC Community Preparedness and Fire Prevention Specialist Kristin Mortenson.
Fire officials ask that people be very careful and to help prevent human-caused fires as a heatwave settles over Western Montana. According to the DNRC, on average, 75% of wildfires in Montana are started by people.
The DNRC is offering the following tips to help reduce fire risk:
- Obey all fire restrictions. Visit https://www.mtfireinfo.org/ for information on fire restrictions in place throughout Montana.
- If campfires are allowed, please do not leave your campfire unattended and fully extinguish it before leaving. If it is too hot to touch, then it is too hot to leave.
- Make sure that your trailer chains are not dragging, which can cause sparks.
- People who considering burning debris, make sure that outdoor burning is still allowed. Most area counties have closed outdoor burning due to fire danger.
- Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire.
Visit https://www.mtfireinfo.org/ for more information on wildfire prevention, active wildfires, fire restrictions, and wildfire preparedness.
