Hamilton, Montana (July 3, 2023) – Fire danger on the Bitterroot National Forest will raise from “Low” to “Moderate” starting tomorrow July 4, 2023.

The current ridge of high pressure and near to above average temperatures are expected to continue through the week with a chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms with the potential of lightning again this weekend.

Fuels are starting to dry and firefighters are asking for the public’s help in preventing human caused wildfires.  Never leave a campfire unattended and make sure your coals are cool to the touch before you leave.  DROWN,STIR and FEEL.

When fire danger is “moderate”, fires can start from most accidental causes, but the number of fires is usually low.  If a fire starts in open, dry grassland, it will burn and spread quickly on windy days.  Most wood fires spread slowly to moderately and are often easy to control.

There are no fire restrictions at this time.  To stay updated, visit https://www.mtfireinfo.org/pages/restrictions.

Those planning camping trips should follow these fire safety tips:

• Keep campfires small, and completely extinguish them before leaving camp.  The best method is to douse the fire with water, stir the ashes and douse again, making sure that all ashes are cold to the touch.  It is illegal to have unattended campfires.

This year, firefighters have extinguished 3 human caused fires and 6 lightning fires on the Bitterroot National Forest.