A combine is the suspected cause of a large fire that burned 1,200 acres of cropland and pasture Tuesday in Chouteau County.
James Dahlen, assistant chief of the Chester Fire Department, the first to arrive, said the fire occurred on multiple properties between Chester and Fort Benton.
"There was some loss of crop and pasture and a little loss of fence," he said.
The fire started in a harvest field during cutting.
"We're assuming it was a combine fire," Dahlen said.
Firefighters from Fort Benton, Conrad and Knees also responded.