HAMILTON – Crews responded to the first lightning-caused wildfires of the year in the Bitterroot National Forest over the weekend.
Firefighters controlled two lightning starts located near Little Trapper Creek and Coyote Coulee Creek on the Darby District.
There have been seven wildfires so far this year on the Bitterroot National Forest — five that were human-caused and two that were lightning-caused.
Forest officials are asking people to minimize the number of human-caused wildfires by making sure that campfires are drowned and burning is not done in windy conditions.
The fires in western Montana follow on the heels of severe wildfires in Alberta, Canada.
Montana is sending several hotshot crews to aid firefighters battling the province’s blazes. The teams are being dispatched on Wednesday, June 5.
