State and federal leaders say they’re expecting above-average wildfire activity across Montana this year.
Gov. Greg Gianforte received an update on the outlook during the annual fire season briefing in Helena on Wednesday. He was joined by more than a dozen representatives from the agencies that respond to wildland fires in the state.
Leaders say much of Montana is abnormally dry, with the eastern part of the state experiencing significant drought.
Northern Rockies Coordination Center (NRCC) meteorologist Coleen Haskell said there have been short-term benefits from recent rain, but the weather patterns have not brought enough moisture to significantly improve the long-term outlook.
“It’s just going to make a dent, or help out to buy us a little bit of time for the rest of June,” she said.