Intense drought puts most of Montana at high risk for fires; conditions are better for much of country

National Interagency Fire Center map

Almost all of Montana remains abnormally dry, putting the state at the highest risk for wildland fires, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

"And conditions aren't expected to improve in September, either for the drought or for the wildfire danger," Sherry Devlin writes for the Missoula Current, a digital news magazine. "Over the past month, 'severe,' 'extreme' and 'exceptional' drought conditions marched westward across Montana, while much of the rest of the nation saw improvements or even above-normal precipitation."

Two-thirds of Montana's pastures and ranges was in "poor to very poor conditions," Devlin reports. As a result, livestock farmers have been selling herds early.

An estimated 97 percent of Montana has "abnormally dry" or "exceptional drought" conditions, but nationwide, only 25 percent of land falls in those categories. 

The September outlook for significant wildland fire potential also puts portions of North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Idaho, Nevada and California at above normal risk. The rest of the country is classified at normal or below normal risk.

All of Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia, along with large portions of North Carolina, Missouri and Arkansas, have below normal risk for fires in September.

"Areas with the greatest potential for significant large fire activity will be the grasses and range lands of the Pacific Northwest east of the Cascades, the lower and middle elevations across California, and most of the North Rockies region," the National Interagency Fire Center reported.