Wildfire Season Begins: Montana’s Skies Hazy Once Again

Whelp, it’s that time of year again—smoke season in Montana. I can only speak for Bozeman and Livingston right now, but if you glance out the window, visibility’s definitely down. I can barely make out Livingston Peak at the moment.

There are a couple of handy resources worth bookmarking to keep track of fire activity and air quality around the state. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) provides real-time updates, and there’s also mtfireinfo.org, which breaks down active incidents and acreage.

According to those sites, the smoke we’re seeing today is drifting in from a handful of fires to the west of Bozeman. Right now, there are seven active fires, one of which is fairly large.

The biggest one is the Sawlog Incident—it’s burned about 2,020 acres and is currently 65% contained. That fire was first reported on May 1st at 2:07 PM, and this update is current as of May 11th, 3:43 PM.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) from the Bozeman station has just tipped into the "yellow," which means it's sitting at a Moderate level. According to the DEQ, “Air quality is acceptable, but people who are unusually sensitive to air pollution may start to feel some effects.” They also recommend that sensitive individuals keep an eye on how they're feeling and maybe take it easy with outdoor activities.

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We had a solid snowpack this year, so fingers crossed that helps keep the fire season in check. What’s the smoke situation looking like in your part of Montana? Drop a comment HERE and let us know. Stay safe out there as we roll into another smoky season.