Today in Helena

Public Safety

Fire Season Arrived All at Once — And Helena Felt Every Piece of It

If this week had a theme, it was smoke and heat. The National Weather Service in Great Falls issued a Heat Advisory, then a Heat Advisory upgrade to near-triple-digit warnings, then a Red Flag Warning for the Lewis and Clark National Forest — all within a few days of each other. The Helena National Forest sat under a Fire Weather Watch through the weekend. The Queen Gulch Fire burned 25 acres in Jefferson County. Two new fires ignited near the South Fork Fish Creek Community in the Ninemile Ranger District. The Twin Sisters Fire broke out near Judith Gap under red flag conditions. Meanwhile, smoke pushed into Lewis and Clark County on at least two separate occasions this week, triggering air quality alerts that covered more than two dozen Montana counties. At one point the DEQ alert and the heat advisory were running simultaneously, forcing residents to choose between staying cool with open windows or keeping smoke out. The federal government stepped in Sunday with an emergency order authorizing backup power generators across the region as grid demand spiked. Add in Yellowstone's midday fishing closures due to spiking water temperatures and the picture is clear: fire season didn't ease into 2026. It kicked the door in. For Helena residents, the practical upshot is layered — check air quality before exercising outside, know where cooling centers are, and understand that the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is likely to see restrictions tighten further if conditions hold.