July 25, 2025

There is an active fire in the Bitterroot Valley south of Hamilton near Darby, and evacuations and evacuation warnings are currently taking place in the area.

For more information go to https://mt.gov/fire.aspx. If your travel plans have been impacted by this, our website is a great resource for alternative options. Or, during business hours, our live-chat staff would be happy to assist with other suggestions.

July 20, 2025

There have been numerous wild land fires around the area, but most are in the backcountry and smoke seems to be at a minimum.

There are currently a couple fire restrictions in place in Western Montana, including the Bitterroot National Forest and Missoula County, both of which are under Stage 2.  See below for specifics of what is restricted in Stage 2.

A recent fire in Missoula County was deemed to be human-caused–please remember to do your part in recreating responsibly.

June 27, 2025

It’s officially summer in Glacier Country, and it’s been hot and dry in some areas of Western Montana. Currently there is a wildland fire burning in Big Arm, on Flathead Lake.

There are currently no fire restrictions in place in Western Montana, but it’s never a bad idea to check this link before building a campfire: Montana State Fire Restrictions. 

Resources

Here are some links that will help you stay informed in case there are wildland fires in Western Montana. Check back often, as these sites are updated daily.

We also have many webcams set up across Western Montana so we can see the beauty of Glacier Country at any time. You can also see if there’s smoke in the area. Here are a few so you can see what is happening right now in our area:

If you ever have to revise your travel plans in Western Montana because of wildland fires or smoke, Glacier Country’s call center can help you. Chat online here or call 800.338.5072.

You’ll find blue skies throughout most of Western Montana.

Recreate Responsibly

  • Stay on designated roads and avoid parking on dry brush or grass, as exhaust pipes and vehicle undercarriages can be very hot and easily start a wildland fire.
  • Campers should never leave a campfire unattended, and always make sure fires are completely extinguished before leaving the site.
  • Extinguish and properly dispose of cigarette butts. And never, ever throw them out the window!
  • Follow Montana State Fire Restrictions. We love camping as much as the next guy, but s’mores over a campfire are not always in the cards as certain areas may be restricted.
  • Learn more about how you can prevent wildland fires from Recreate Responsibly in Western Montana.

Under Stage 1 Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

  1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
  2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Under Stage 2 Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

  • Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
  • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
  • Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.
  • The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am:
    • Operating any internal combustion engine.
    • Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
    • Using an explosive.

For more information on fire restrictions in the state of Montana, please refer to mtfireinfo.org.

When there are wildfires, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  1. You’re safe. Most wildland fires, when they happen, are in the back country, miles from civilization and any structures. Montana is home to 3,443,038 acres of wilderness, and most fires happen there. If, by chance, a wildland fire gets close to a community, our firefighting experts communicate, evacuate and communicate some more. If you are in an area that is being evacuated, don’t panic. Someone will notify you before you are in an emergency situation. Road access will also be blocked off if a road in unsafe to travel. You will not find yourself unwittingly in the midst of a wildfire. Ever. Public safety is always the first concern. If an area is open, it is safe. Here is a map of current fires in Montana.
  2. Montana is huge. Vast, in fact. Over 145,556 square miles or 94,109,440 acres, to be precise. If you read that a fire is 6,400 acres, keep it in perspective, as that’s only a tiny, tiny fraction of Montana’s total acreage. Sometimes newspaper headlines and social media posts can be unnecessarily dramatic and imply that Montana as a whole is “on fire.” It sounds better than to say .000068 of Montana is on fire, which is actually more accurate.
  3. Fire is a natural part of our region’s ecology. Most fires are started by lightning, and are responsible for maintaining the health and perpetuity of certain fire-dependent ecosystems. We don’t pretend to be scientists, but we do have a lot of scientists in our area and resources in our partners at the state and federal levels, and we’ve attached a link to fire ecology below.
  4. And, because we always think the glass is at least half full here in Glacier Country, when the sky is a bit smoky, the sunsets are phenomenal.
Morel mushrooms—the caviar of the mushroom family—like to grow in post-fire areas.

If you ever have to revise your travel plans in Western Montana because of wildland fires or smoke, Glacier Country’s call center can help you. Chat online here or call 800.338.5072.

September 3, 2024

There is significant smoke in some areas of Western Montana and it’s important to be aware of air quality and when it’s wise to choose an alternative recreational option. You can find out more about air quality here, https://deq.mt.gov/air/Programs/smokeforecasts, and here is a repost of a blog with indoor suggestions in case your plans get thwarted blog.glaciermt.com/a-to-z-winter-indoor-things-to-do-in-western-montana. Please also remember, although it might be smokey in one area, it could be clear five miles away or clear up if the wind blows.

August 28, 2024

The temperatures have cooled significantly in the area, including snow in higher elevations. This is good news for any fire activity. Although there are still fires in the area, smoke is minimal and fire restrictions have been removed from most of the region.

August 2, 2024

Interagency fire managers are implementing Stage-1 Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Saturday, August 3, 2024 across the Flathead National Forest, Kootenai National Forest, Glacier National Park, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation – Northwestern Land Office, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1, Lincoln County, Flathead County, and Sanders County.

Under Stage-1 Fire Restrictions, the following is not allowed:

  • Igniting, building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire including fires fueled by charcoal or briquettes.
  • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
  • Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine without a maintained and working spark arresting device properly installed. For chainsaw use, a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher with a minimum 8-ounce capacity and rating of 2A must be kept with the operator and a round point shovel at least 35 inches long must be kept readily available for use.
  • Blasting, welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with an open flame, except in a cleared area of at least 10 feet in diameter and a chemical pressurized fire extinguisher with a minimum 8-ounce capacity and rating of 2A must be kept with the operator.
  • Using an explosive including but not limited to fuses, blasting caps, fireworks, rockets, exploding targets, tracers, and incendiary ammunition.

July 18, 2024

Missoula and Ravalli counties and numerous agencies including Lolo and Bitterroot national forests, Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, all have enacted Stage-2 fire restrictions and raised their fire danger to “extreme,” the highest of five levels. Stage-2 fire restrictions outright prohibit campfires in any circumstance and a host of other activities that can cause wildfires.

In Lake and Sanders counties, the following state parks have Stage-2 fire restrictions:

  • Lake Mary Ronan State Park
  • Big Arm Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
  • Finley Point Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
  • Yellow Bay Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
  • West Shore Unit of Flathead Lake State Park
  • Thompson Falls State Park

The following acts are prohibited until further notice:

  • Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
  • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
  • The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am:
    • Operating any internal combustion engine.
    • Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
    • Using an explosive.
  • Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.

July 16, 2024

In Missoula and the surrounding area, there is visible smoke coming from the Miller Peak Fire, just outside town. You can see more about it here. And, you can see the air quality forecast for the area here. If you’re wanting to avoid the smoke and try some of our many indoor activities instead, we’ve got a great blog on suggestions: blog.glaciermt.com/a-to-z-winter-indoor-things-to-do-in-western-montana. And remember, the wind direction can change on a dime clearing smoke from the air.

July 12, 2024

There is light smoke visible in some areas of Western Montana’s Glacier Country, but nothing that would impact recreating outside. And, typically it doesn’t take long to drive somewhere not effected. Here’s a link to check out the air quality in Montana: https://deq.mt.gov/air/Programs/smokeforecasts. The current smoke is primarily coming from a fire outside Helena, Montana.

There are currently no fire restrictions in place in Western Montana, but it’s never a bad idea to check this link before building a campfire: Montana State Fire Restrictions. 

Resources

Here are some links that will help you stay informed in case there are wildland fires in Western Montana. Check back often, as these sites are updated daily.

We also have many webcams set up across Western Montana so we can see the beauty of Glacier Country at any time. You can also see if there’s smoke in the area. Here are a few so you can see what is happening right now in our area:

If you ever have to revise your travel plans in Western Montana because of wildland fires or smoke, Glacier Country’s call center can help you. Chat online here or call 800.338.5072.

You’ll find blue skies throughout most of Western Montana.

Recreate Responsibly

  • Stay on designated roads and avoid parking on dry brush or grass, as exhaust pipes and vehicle undercarriages can be very hot and easily start a wildland fire.
  • Campers should never leave a campfire unattended, and always make sure fires are completely extinguished before leaving the site.
  • Extinguish and properly dispose of cigarette butts. And never, ever throw them out the window!
  • Follow Montana State Fire Restrictions. We love camping as much as the next guy, but s’mores over a campfire are not always in the cards as certain areas may be restricted.
  • Learn more about how you can prevent wildland fires from Recreate Responsibly in Western Montana.

Under Stage 1 Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

  1. Building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
  2. Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Under Stage 2 Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited:

  • Building maintaining, attending, or using a fire or campfire.
  • Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
  • Operating motorized vehicles off designated roads and trails.
  • The following acts are prohibited from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am:
    • Operating any internal combustion engine.
    • Welding, or operating acetylene or other torch with an open flame.
    • Using an explosive.

For more information on fire restrictions in the state of Montana, please refer to mtfireinfo.org.

When there are wildfires, here are a few things to keep in mind:

  1. You’re safe. Most wildland fires, when they happen, are in the back country, miles from civilization and any structures. Montana is home to 3,443,038 acres of wilderness, and most fires happen there. If, by chance, a wildland fire gets close to a community, our firefighting experts communicate, evacuate and communicate some more. If you are in an area that is being evacuated, don’t panic. Someone will notify you before you are in an emergency situation. Road access will also be blocked off if a road in unsafe to travel. You will not find yourself unwittingly in the midst of a wildfire. Ever. Public safety is always the first concern. If an area is open, it is safe. Here is a map of current fires in Montana.
  2. Montana is huge. Vast, in fact. Over 145,556 square miles or 94,109,440 acres, to be precise. If you read that a fire is 6,400 acres, keep it in perspective, as that’s only a tiny, tiny fraction of Montana’s total acreage. Sometimes newspaper headlines and social media posts can be unnecessarily dramatic and imply that Montana as a whole is “on fire.” It sounds better than to say .000068 of Montana is on fire, which is actually more accurate.
  3. Fire is a natural part of our region’s ecology. Most fires are started by lightning, and are responsible for maintaining the health and perpetuity of certain fire-dependent ecosystems. We don’t pretend to be scientists, but we do have a lot of scientists in our area and resources in our partners at the state and federal levels, and we’ve attached a link to fire ecology below.
  4. And, because we always think the glass is at least half full here in Glacier Country, when the sky is a bit smoky, the sunsets are phenomenal.
Morel mushrooms—the caviar of the mushroom family—like to grow in post-fire areas.

If you ever have to revise your travel plans in Western Montana because of wildland fires or smoke, Glacier Country’s call center can help you. Chat online here or call 800.338.5072.

June 27, 2025

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Comments

Try Veo 3
It’s good to know there are no fire restrictions yet, but I’ll keep an eye on the updates to be safe. The wildfire smoke map and air quality info are especially helpful!