BOZEMAN – The National Weather Service issued a Fire Weather Warning (Red Flag Warning) for SW Montana mostly east of Interstate 15 Saturday from 1 pm to 9 pm.
A mostly dry cold front will once again increase surface winds 10 to 30 mph Saturday afternoon. Wind prone areas along the divide could see stronger gusts.
At the same time, monsoonal moisture is lifting up into SW Montana from the south and could produce a mix of wet and dry thunderstorms.
Scattered lightning with limited moisture combined with wind gusts up to 30 mph along with dry fuels could lead to new fire starts Saturday. This will also be a time for human-triggered fires to grow out of control. Use extreme caution with all outdoor activities this weekend.
Fire Wise (Recommendations)Tips:
- Don’t park vehicles in tall grass
- Limit smoking outdoors
- Don’t build a campfire in windy conditions
- Try not to use chainsaws and other machines during the late afternoon hours
- Lightning strikes could quickly ignite a fire, consider how you would escape a possible fast-developing fire
- Report any fire starts to local law enforcement
