MT Fire Report

Tracking Montana’s 2021 fire season

With an expansive drought drying out vegetation across the state, 2021 is shaping up to be a particularly active year for Montana wildfires — enough so that Gov. Greg Gianforte declared a statewide wildland fire emergency July 14. As the fire season progresses, Montana Free Press staff will update this page hourly with information on the location and size of fires reported across the state, as well air quality ratings for Montana communities with monitoring stations.

The display below includes wildfires tracked by the Inciweb incident information system and may exclude fires that aren’t reported through that system. In some cases information for specific fires may be out-of-date or incomplete where agencies haven’t updated Inciweb entries. Fire names in the table below link to more information on the Inciweb website.

More Montana fire coverage

Can ‘active forest management’ really reduce wildfire risk?

Experts say it depends on the fire, the forest and the project.

by Amanda Eggert 08.27.202108.27.2021

Does Greg Gianforte have a plan for climate change?

In Montana’s hot, smoky moment of truth, the Republican governor is focused on streamlining regulation to encourage innovation. Advocates for climate action say that's not nearly enough.

by Amanda Eggert 08.10.202108.17.2021

Lungs on fire

Wildfire smoke is driving people indoors, raising fears of new COVID outbreak in low-vaccination areas.

by Aaron Bolton 07.22.202107.22.2021

Gianforte sets wildfire priorities for ‘above-normal’ season

With drought conditions setting the stage, the governor wants to double forest thinning, logging and prescribed burning, and pushes for fires to be 'extinguished immediately.'

by Amanda Eggert 06.09.202106.11.2021

Double bind

Native Americans navigate twin threats of COVID-19 and wildfire.

by Miranda Green 09.23.202007.22.2021

Lingering concerns

Wildfires’ toxic air leaves damage long after the smoke clears

by Katheryn Houghton 09.18.202009.18.2020

COVID plans put to the test as firefighters crowd camps

Multiple outbreaks could hamstring the nation’s ability to respond as wildfire season peaks in August, the hottest and driest month of the year in the western U.S.

by Matt Volz 08.20.202008.20.2020

Full-court suppress

Land managers anticipate pivot to 'fast and furious' wildfire strategy in light of COVID-19.

by Amanda Eggert 07.21.202007.21.2020

Reporter Amanda Eggert talks about her MTFP series ‘Living with Fire’

by John S. Adams 07.30.201902.12.2021

Living with Fire Part 3: Private-sector approaches to a public problem

As the threat of wildfire grows throughout the West, private firefighting companies deployed by insurance companies are stepping in.

by Amanda Eggert 07.11.201908.17.2021

Living with Fire Part 2: Building fire-adapted communities through land-use planning

Can smarter land-use policy reduce the number of homes lost to wildfires? Some experts say yes.

by Amanda Eggert 07.04.201908.18.2021

Living with Fire Part 1: The evolution of wildfire suppression

How a handful of events and policies shaped the wildfire narrative over the last century.

by Amanda Eggert 06.28.201908.17.2021