Fire Weather Watch issued for Gallatin National Forest

Critical fire weather: A Fire Weather Watch has been issued for Gallatin National Forest and Wheatland and Sweet Grass Counties until 7:45 p.m. MDT. The watch reflects elevated fire-weather conditions across the region.

• Fire Warnings 0
• Evacuations 0
• Red Flag Warnings 0
• Active wildfires 43

Right Now

• A Fire Weather Watch is in effect for Gallatin National Forest, Wheatland County, and Sweet Grass County through 7:45 p.m. MDT.
• 43 wildfires are currently active in national incident data, including 2 new starts in the last 24 hours.

Fire Weather Conditions

A ridge of high pressure is keeping conditions warm and dry across Montana through at least the middle of next week. Minimum relative humidity is forecast to reach 19% near Ennis, Montana. Clear skies and low relative humidity are persisting as the high pressure system remains in place.

The Official Word

The National Weather Service office in Great Falls likely expects unseasonably warm temperatures to continue through at least the middle of next week, with some areas including Great Falls and Helena getting within 5 degrees of the daily record high. The Missoula office notes that valley lows will be cool to cold with patchy frost possible.

Next Few Hours

Elevated fire-weather conditions may persist into the coming days as the ridge of high pressure continues to influence the region. Forecasters may adjust watches as conditions evolve.

Updated 7:48 p.m. MDT