Press Release: Wildfire Erupts in Sanders County as State Prepares for Fire Season
SANDERS COUNTY, MT—A full team of firefighters has been deployed to combat the Banana Lake Fire, which ignited Saturday afternoon and has rapidly become Montana’s largest wildfire of the season, burning nearly 1,000 acres. The fire, located in mountainous terrain northeast of Plains, is fueled by hot temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds, escalating from 200 acres that evening to over 850 by Sunday evening. Fortunately, no evacuations are currently necessary.
Governor Gianforte will receive his annual fire briefing today from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) amid concerns over rising fire risks this summer. The state has already recorded 345 wildfires in 2023, with eight still active.
In related news, the Historical Museum at Fort Missoula unveiled a new exhibit this weekend highlighting the internment of Japanese and Italian Americans during WWII. Commissioner Josh Slotnick emphasized the importance of remembering these injustices for future generations.
On a somber note, searchers have recovered the body of 68-year-old Robert Jeffry Howe, who drowned in the Lochsa River earlier this week while camping.
Montana is on high alert as wildfire season progresses, with ongoing efforts to manage emerging threats.
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