MISSOULA - Widespread precipitation and cooler temperatures throughout the Missoula area have prompted Missoula County fire protection agencies to lower the fire danger in the Missoula area to VERY HIGH, effective immediately. Stage II Fire Restrictions are still in place.
The movement of the arrow back reflects the current and short-term predicted conditions but residents and visitors are urged to still use caution when outdoors— Very High fire danger means that fires start easily from all causes, and immediately spread rapidly and increase quickly in intensity. Sporadic monsoonal moisture is often of short duration and coverage, which limits the “fuel moistening” benefits.
Western Montana is still experiencing drought and will be returning to above normal temperatures and low relative humidity by the end of the week. Due to these factors as well as many others—including a shortage of available firefighting resources region-wide and high volume of public use of our wildlands—the Missoula Area will remain under Stage II fire restrictions.
Fire danger measures the potential in an area for a fire to ignite, spread and require suppression. Restrictions are intended to reduce human-caused fires.
“Missoula, Ravalli, and Mineral counties together have dealt with 18 new wildland fires since Aug. 1 and one-third of those were still caused by humans! We can’t control the lightning, but those human sparks are 100% preventable,” said Kristin Mortenson, Community Preparedness & Fire Prevention Specialist with the DNRC’s Southwestern Land Office.
Please follow all Stage II restrictions as listed on page 13 including no campfires, no open flame, no operating internal combustion engines between the hours of 1 p.m. - 1 a.m.
For more information on fire prevention visit http://www.MCFPA.org. Residents and visitors are also encouraged to visit http://www.MTFireInfo.org for information on fire restrictions and active fires occurring throughout Montana.
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