KXLF

Posted 09/07/2010 9:02 AM by Associated Press

DENVER - Authorities say a wind-driven wildfire in the rugged Colorado foothills has spread across 5 1/2 square miles, destroyed an unknown number of homes and triggered evacuations of 1,000 others.

No injuries have been reported.

Laura McConnell, a spokeswoman for the fire management team, couldn't say how many structures have burned down, but she says at least some of them were houses.

McConnell says the homes of four firefighters were among those destroyed.

… Click to Read More

Posted 09/02/2010 9:05 AM

Scientists in Montana, Colorado and Idaho are conducting a $3.85 million research project that will examine how a changing climate will influence wildfires.

The work, which is being pursued in partnership with scientists in Australia and New Zealand, kicked off on Wednesday.

Montana State University professor Cathy Whitlock says the goal is to identify how wildfires are driven by human activities and climate change.

Whitlock added that the frequency and severity of… Click to Read More

Posted 08/31/2010 9:06 AM by David Jay

LAUREL - Firefighters are working to contain two wildfires near Laurel after responding to the lightning-caused fires around 1:15 Saturday afternoon.

One fire is just north of Clapper Flat Road and west of Buffalo Trail Road while the second is north of the first fire and closer to Michaels Road.

The Laurel Fire Department initially responded to the first fire north of Clapper Flat Road. Then, fire departments from Blue Creek, Lockwood, Shepherd, Billings, Molt, Park City, Jol… Click to Read More

Posted 08/28/2010 8:29 PM

The 70 homeowners who were forced out of their homes by the Downing Mountain Fire west of Hamilton can go home again.

Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman and Fire Incident Commander Mark Grant lifted the Stage 2 evacuation order at 7 p.m. Saturday.

The announcement was made during an open house coordinated by the Bitterroot National Forest to answer questions from the public about the fire. More than 150 people attended the meeting.

Even though residents are being… Click to Read More

Posted 08/30/2010 5:43 PM by Marnee Banks

The Davis fire burning near Stemple Pass has now grown to 2,800 acres and as of late Thursday evening, the blaze was only 5% contained.

The U.S. Forest Service began a prescribed burn on Wednesday when they report the conditions were favorable. But on Thursday, as winds picked up and a red flag warning was issued, officials quickly realized they were in trouble.

The flames exploded to 1,000 acres by 6 p.m. The Davis Fire is threatening almost two dozen homes and evacuatio… Click to Read More

Posted 08/30/2010 5:31 PM by Associated Press

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The Lewis and Clark County sheriff's office is evacuating residences along Stemple Pass Road after high winds caused a prescribed burn in the Helena National Forest to be declared a wildfire.

Forest spokeswoman Kathy Bushnell says the wind kicked up at about 1 p.m. Thursday, driving the fire on Stemple Pass beyond the boundaries of the prescribed burn. Stemple Pass is northwest of Helena and a column of smoke could be seen from Helena.

The Lewis and … Click to Read More

Posted 08/24/2010 8:42 AM by Q2 News Staff

UPDATED: COLUMBUS - The Stump Gulch Fire north of Columbus has blazed 9,870 acres and is still burning, according to new numbers released by fire officials.

Sunday night rain helped dampen the fire. Information officer Dwayne Andrews says Monday's cooler temperatures and higher humidity should keep the fire calm.

Fire crews will be mopping up the perimeter of the fire Monday.

The fire remains uncontained, but Andre… Click to Read More

Posted 08/24/2010 8:41 AM by KBZK Media Center

Rain squelched a wildfire burning in Yellowstone National Park Sunday and Monday, reducing fire behavior to a minimum.

(Photo from InciWeb.org)

The 218-acre Arthur 2 Fire is burning 52 miles west of Cody, Wyoming in timber. Lightning sparked the fire on Wednesday, Aug. 18.

About a third of an inch of rain fell on the blaze between Sunday night and Monday morning.

"Firefighters saw a tree torch at 6:15 this morning, however the fire won't likely grow un… Click to Read More

Posted 08/24/2010 8:40 AM by (KRTV-Great Falls)

A large wildfire is burning about 40 miles north of the town of Winnett in central Montana.

Firefighters are battling the blaze, dubbed the Raven Rat Patch Fire, which has burned approximately 26,000 acres.

It does not appear that any people have been injured. Initial reports indicate that no large structures have been affected.

As of Monday morning, officials estimate the blaze is 30 percent contained and are predicting 100 percent containment by Friday, Aug. 27.

Tagged As: fire firewatch montana

Posted 08/24/2010 8:39 AM by Associated Press

LEWISTON, Mont. (AP) - Fire officials say four lightning-caused wildfires burning in central Montana merged into one fire on Sunday and about 15 square miles have burned.

The Raven Rat Patch Fire is burning about 48 miles north of Winnett mostly on Bureau of Land Management land and the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge south of the Missouri River.

The fires were first reported Saturday after a lightning storm moved through the area.

Authorities say … Click to Read More