Fire Officials Warn Residents of Weekend Lightning Strikes Contributing to Additional Wildfires
An alert from agencies Sunday urged residents to be cautious of holdover wildfire starts in the coming days as temperatures warm
By Cathy Li
Weekend thunderstorms led officials with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) to issue a warning about the possibility of additional wildfire ignitions in the coming days in northwest Montana, where temperatures are forecast to be warmer and drier.
Land managers urged caution after the region was buffeted by lightning strikes over the weekend, leading to at least four new wildfire starts and prompting heightened vigilance among agency officials, who asked the public to remain cautious for holdover fires even after some jurisdictions eased restrictions Friday. The press release identified the new starts occurring on Saturday, informing that “there is high potential for additional fires today and in the coming days due to holdover lightning strikes.”
The DNRC’s Northwestern Land Office received reports of multiple lightning strikes on Aug. 10, which led to fire starts in the following areas: East Browns Meadow Fire (Browns Pass area); Sullivan Fire (Battle Butte area); Meadow Peak Fire (Lost Prairie Road, two miles north of Carson Field); and the Hidden Lake Fire (Red Gate Road).
As temperatures are forecast to rise in the coming days, land managers cautioned that fuels will dry out and be more receptive to fire.
“The weather system containing the lightning did not bring substantial moisture allowing fuels to continue to dry out after the most recent rains,” the release states. “Weather forecast has additional potential for thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday night which could lead to additional potential for thunderstorms Monday and Tuesday night which could lead to additional starts.”
Currently, there are no evacuations or closures in effect.
More thunderstorms are expected today.