The Alder Creek Fire burning in the Beaverhead-Deer Lodge National Forest is the top priority wildfire in the country.
REPORT THAT RAIN HELPEDFIREFIGHTERS WORKING THEGOOSE FIRE SOUTHEAST OFENNIS, CREWS RPONDEDESYESTERDAY TO A NEW FIREABOUT THREE TO FIVE MILESWEST OF POLEBRIDGEN ITHE HAY CREEKDRAINAGE.SEVERAL ENGINES ANDTHREE HELICOPTERSASSISTED FIREFIGHTERSYESTERDAY.
ABOUT 50ACRES HAVE BURNED SOFAR, WITH ZEROCONTAINMENT.
THECAUSE IS UNKNOWN.THE FLATHEAD NATIONALFOREST WILL MOVE FROMSTAGE 1 TO STAGE 2 FIRERESTRICTIONS ON MONDAY.WITH 20 LARGE WILDFIRESBURNING ACROSS THESTATE, INCLUDING A FIRETHAT'S THE NUMBER ONEPRIORITY RIGHT NOW IN E THNATION, GOVERNOR GREGGIANFORTE WEDNESDAYWAS BRIEFED ONMONTANA'S FIRE SITUATI.
ONTHE GOVERNOR LEARNEDTHAT SINCE JANUARY 1ST,THERE HAVE BEEN 15-HUNDRED FIRE STARTS INMONTANA - 500 OF THOSEJUST THIS MONTH.AROUND 200-THOUSD ANACRES HAVE BURNED WITHALMOST 9 MILLION DOLLARSBEEN SPENT ON FIRESUPPRESSION SINCE THESTART OF THE STATE'S FISCALYEAR, WHICH WAS JULY1ST.THE ALDER CREEK FIREBURNING IN THEBEAVERHEAD-DEERLODGE NATIONAL FOREST ISTHE NUMBER ONE PRIORITYFIRE IN THE COUNTRY DUE TOTHE STRUCTURES IT'STHREATENG.INAND
Two Montana National Guard helicopter units will be assigned to help fight wildfires in the state, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced..