No Wildfires Close to Home...Yet

Almost two years ago a wildfire started about 11 miles from our house in Lolo, Montana. Over several days it got closer...here's the blog story. Well, smoke came into the Bitterroot Valley today, most significant so far IMHO. Fortunately it's not of local origin, really dry here. The smoke is not nearly as bad as two years ago (photo below, compare to blog video).

Lolo, Montana

Still it is incredible that fires from the Pacific coast and central Washington can impact our air quality. Not so much, just navigate to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality website for many links and overviews of current fires/impacts. There are 11 large incident fires in play right now, most in California.

Keep the firefighters in your thoughts and prayers as they try to can keep the fires in check safely.

Closer Wildfire and Smoke...

Just when I thought we would get lucky and escape the wildfire season without a local large fire...well two fires 10 miles west of Lolo, MT "blew up" yesterday thanks to high winds. It is very eerie driving home from work seeing a large smoke column towering over the Bitterroot Mountains 8,000 feet plus in elevation somewhat close to your residence. It's also personal  because I have been to the areas burning for wildlife watching field trips.Quickly, it has become very addicting finding and reading internet coverage...what's happening? This morning conditions are very smoky (video). Not exactly feeling distress, however what will the day(s) bring?

July...Wildfire Season Begins in Montana

Yesterday, smoke appreciably increased in the Bitterroot Valley. The video catches the line of smoke as it pans to the right (looking southward in the Valley). This activity is part of living in Montana.

Here's what it should look like (at sunset) viewing southward of the Valley:

The state of Montana has a variety of resources online to keep everyone informed of immediate wildfire dangers, but also secondary health concerns. Department of Environmental Quality has a 'smoke' scoring system for health effects:

Here's a map of current wildfire activity in western Montana from the Northern Rockies Coordination Center website: 

You can track the wildfires in your neck of the woods at InciWeb. Personally, have had only one incident in which our neighborhood was threatened by fire (nothing like coming home from work seeing a smoke column near your residence). Firefighters got on this "start", mere .5 mile away, quickly and in force...nothing bad happened. So a big THANK YOU to those who fight fire. Be safe everybody.