Reminder issued after abandoned warming fires spark Western Montana wildfires

MISSOULA — Western Montana fire officials are asking people to be careful with warming fires despite our cooler weather.

Firefighters with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Missoula and Clearwater Units have recently responded to three wildfires — ranging in size from 0.1 to 1.15 acres — which are suspected to be caused by abandoned warming fires.

"Even though we are well into the fall season, our forests are extremely dry. So dry that even the little rain and snowstorms we are getting are not enough to bring the moisture needed back to our forests," said DNRC Missoula Unit Assistant Fire Management Officer Joe Rediske.

"Please be extremely careful with your warming fires and completely extinguish them before you leave," Rediske continued. "Remember to drown, stir, and feel. If the fire is too hot to touch, it is too hot to leave."

People are asked to be careful where a fire is built, especially if it's under the canopy of a large tree as dry fuels sheltered from precipitation can easily ignite.

According to the DNRC, there have been 171 wildfires to date in Missoula and Powell counties, 70% of which have been human-caused.