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Public Safety
Public Safety
Dense Fog Advisory Covers Helena Region Through Monday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Dense Fog Advisory for the Helena area beginning early Monday, October 26, running through noon MDT. Visibility was reduced to one quarter mile or less in affected zones during the advisory period.
Public Safety
Two-Acre Prescribed Burn Reported at Forest Lake Campground in Meagher County
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:46
A fire listed as the Forest Lake Campground Piles RX burned two acres in Meagher County, according to a wildfire report observed October 27. The cause is listed as undetermined.
Public Safety
Dense Fog Advisory Covers Canyon Ferry, Elkhorn Range and Surrounding Areas Through Noon Monday
edition · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Dense Fog Advisory early Monday, October 26, effective from 12:42 a.m. through noon MDT, covering a broad stretch of southwest and central Montana including areas familiar to Helena-area commuters and recreationists.
Public Safety
NWS Issues Fog Warning for Helena and Surrounding Areas Early Sunday Morning
edition · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Special Weather Statement before dawn on Sunday, October 25, warning of patchy dense fog that had developed across the Helena area and several surrounding communities.
Public Safety
Dense Fog Blankets Helena Area Saturday Morning; NWS Issues Advisory Through 11 A.M.
2 sources · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Special Weather Statement early Saturday morning after patchy dense fog developed around Helena, Lincoln, Craig, and Augusta, with visibility dropping below a half mile in some locations. A formal Dense Fog Advisory followed at 4:34 a.m., extending through 11 a.m. MDT.
Public Safety
NWS Issues Winter Weather Advisory for Mountain Passes Around Helena
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Winter Weather Advisory Thursday for several mountain areas in and around Lewis and Clark County, with snow and gusty winds forecast through midnight Friday.
Public Safety
Two Crashes Snarl I-15 Traffic in Both Directions Friday
1 source · 511mt road closures · 06:46
Two separate crashes hit Interstate 15 on Friday, blocking lanes in both directions and slowing travel along one of the primary corridors connecting Helena to the rest of the state.
Public Safety
Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for MacDonald Pass and Surrounding Ranges Through Friday Night
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Winter Weather Advisory Thursday morning for the mountain areas around Helena, with snow and gusty winds expected through midnight Friday. The advisory covers MacDonald Pass, the Upper Blackfoot drainage, the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains, and the Ruby and Southern Beaverhead ranges.
Public Safety
Dense Fog Cuts Visibility Across Helena Valley Wednesday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement early Wednesday morning warning of patchy dense fog across the Helena Valley, with visibility dropping below a half mile in some areas as of the 5:15 a.m. advisory.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Activity Recorded Near Powell County; No Acreage Burned
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed burn designated the Mike Renig Pile RX fire was recorded in Powell County as of October 20, with official reports showing zero acres burned. The cause is listed as undetermined in state wildfire tracking records — an unusual notation for a prescribed burn, which by definition is a planned ignition, and one that may reflect how the entry was initially categorized in the reporting system.
Public Safety
Dense Fog Cuts Visibility in Helena Valley Wednesday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Special Weather Statement at 5:15 a.m. Wednesday after patchy dense fog settled into the Helena Valley overnight, dropping visibility below a half mile in some areas. Commuters heading out early Wednesday faced conditions that could change quickly and without much warning.
Public Safety
Montana State Warns Students After Spike in Drink Spiking Reports
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
Montana State University sent students a campus-wide email this week warning of an increase in reported drink spiking incidents. The alert covered a range of settings — bars, house parties, fraternity events — reflecting the reality that no single venue type has been identified as the source of the problem.
Public Safety
Shed Explosion Near Three Forks Sends Man to Hospital
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
A shed explosion rattled a neighborhood outside Three Forks Thursday afternoon, sending one man to the hospital and scattering debris across the area. Neighbor Andrew Cavanaugh, who lives nearby, said the blast was felt as much as heard. "It definitely scared everyone in the neighborhood," Cavanaugh said. "Everyone could feel it."
Public Safety
High Wind Warning in Effect for Rocky Mountain Front Through Saturday Night
2 sources · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Warning covering portions of north-central Montana — including the Southern Rocky Mountain Front — effective from 9 a.m. Saturday, October 17, through midnight Saturday night. Southwest winds of 30 to 40 mph are expected, with gusts reaching up to 75 mph.
Public Safety
NWS Issues High Wind Watch for Northern Montana Through Saturday Evening
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Watch late Wednesday night covering portions of northern Montana, with the watch in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening, October 18.
Public Safety
NWS Issues High Wind Watch for Northern Montana Through Saturday Evening
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Watch late Wednesday night covering portions of northern Montana, with the watch in effect from Saturday morning through Saturday evening, October 18.
Public Safety
Dense Fog Advisory in Effect Through Noon Wednesday; Ice Possible on Bridges
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Dense Fog Advisory for the Canyon Ferry area, Gallatin Valley, and Missouri Headwaters beginning the night of October 13 and running through noon on Wednesday, October 14. Visibility could drop to as low as one quarter of a mile in areas where the fog is thickest.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Ignited Near Coyote Divide in Cascade County
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed burn called the Coyote Divide Piles Rx has been ignited in Cascade County, fire tracking records show. As of the latest report, the burn has not spread beyond its intended area, with acreage logged at zero — consistent with a pile burn that is being managed within containment rather than a free-running fire.
Public Safety
Winter Storm Warning Hits Mountains Around Helena With Up to 20 Inches of Snow
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Winter Storm Warning beginning the evening of October 10 and running through 6 a.m. Monday, October 12, covering the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains east and southeast of Helena, as well as portions of central and north-central Montana.
Public Safety
Chains Required for Towing Units on US-12 West of Helena
1 source · 511mt road closures · 06:47
The Montana Department of Transportation has issued a chains-required restriction for all towing units on US-12 between mile posts 23.0 and 35.0, a stretch of highway that runs through the mountains west of Helena toward Missoula. The restriction was in effect as of October 12 with no specified end date.
Public Safety
Winter Storm Warning in Effect for Mountain Ranges East of Helena Through Monday Morning
edition · 06:47
The National Weather Service out of Great Falls issued a Winter Storm Warning Saturday evening, October 10, covering the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains through 6 a.m. Monday, October 12. Forecasters are calling for heavy, wet snow totaling 6 to 14 inches in those ranges, with wind gusts up to 40 mph.
Public Safety
Winter Weather Advisory Covers Helena Area Through Monday as First Real Snowstorm of the Season Moves In
edition · 06:47
The National Weather Service in Great Falls placed portions of central and southwest Montana — including the Helena area — under a Winter Weather Advisory from late Saturday night, October 10, through 6 a.m. Monday, October 12. Forecasters expect 2 to 5 inches of snow at lower elevations, with 5 to 8 inches in the mountains and locally higher amounts possible. Wind gusts up to 45 mph are in the forecast.
Public Safety
Winter Weather Advisory in Effect for Helena Through Sunday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Helena and portions of central and southwest Montana beginning Friday evening, with snow expected to continue through 6 a.m. Sunday. The advisory was posted at 12:32 a.m. Friday.
Public Safety
Winter Storm Warning Covers Mountains Around Helena, Up to 20 Inches Possible at Elevation
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
While Helena proper is under a Winter Weather Advisory this weekend, the mountains ringing the valley are under a more serious Winter Storm Warning, with the National Weather Service in Great Falls forecasting heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions through 6 a.m. Monday. The warning covers the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains, as well as the Gates of the Mountains area, the Upper Blackfoot and MacDonald Pass corridor, the Southern High Plains, and the Southern Rocky Mountain Front.
Public Safety
Winter Storm Watch Extended Through Monday Morning for Big Belt and Surrounding Ranges
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
A separate Winter Storm Watch issued by the National Weather Service in Great Falls extends the heavy snow threat through 6 a.m. Monday, October 12th, covering the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains along with the Gallatin and Madison county mountain ranges and the Centennial Mountains to the south.
Public Safety
Winter Storm Watch in Effect for Helena Valley and Surrounding Mountains Through Sunday
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Helena area late Wednesday night, covering the Helena Valley, the Elkhorn and Boulder Mountains, and the Gates of the Mountains and Upper Blackfoot corridor including MacDonald Pass. The watch runs through Sunday afternoon, October 11th.
Public Safety
Helena Fire Department Is Thinking Beyond the Hose: Prevention, Education, and Community Outreach Emerge as a Strategy
edition · 09:01
Three separate stories this week pointed toward the same shift inside the Helena Fire Department: the emphasis is moving from response to prevention, and it's moving fast. Fire Chief Parker pitched the City Commission on a new monthly neighborhood outreach program aimed at community risk reduction — a deliberate move away from the traditional 'show up when something burns' model. At the same time, Helena firefighters spent Fire Prevention Week visiting local classrooms, taking a more sophisticated message than stop-drop-and-roll to students across town. And the department formally welcomed back Eric Dunn, sworn in at the September 28th commission meeting, adding manpower to what appears to be an expanding mission. The Helena City Commission, which voted unanimously on multiple fire-related items this week, seems fully aligned with the department's direction. For residents, the practical upshot is this: don't be surprised if a firefighter knocks on your neighborhood's door in the coming months. That's not a drill — it's the new model. The department is trying to get ahead of emergencies rather than race to them.
Public Safety
From Red Flags to Snow Flurries: Helena's Wild Weather Week Puts Fire Risk Front and Center
edition · 09:01
If you blinked, you missed summer's last hurrah — and nearly missed a serious fire scare while you were at it. Helena swung from near-record 80-degree heat early in the week to a full Red Flag Warning by Thursday, before temperatures crashed and snow threatened the weekend. The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Fire Weather Watch that escalated to a Red Flag Warning covering the Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest, a rapid upgrade that underscored just how quickly conditions can turn dangerous in October. The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest had prescribed burns active near the Continental Divide and in the Lincoln Ranger District at the same time, adding smoke to an already unsettled picture. What this means for residents: fall in Helena isn't fire season's end — it's fire season's last, unpredictable gasp. The whiplash from heat to snow compressed that window dramatically this week, and officials want you paying attention right up until the first hard freeze sticks. The National Weather Service Great Falls office appeared repeatedly in coverage this week, issuing multiple alerts that shaped how residents planned their outdoor time. Keep an eye on that forecast link.
Public Safety
Red Flag Warning Upgraded for Helena-Area Forests as Conditions Worsen Thursday
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service in Great Falls upgraded its fire weather alert to a Red Flag Warning late Wednesday night, issuing the higher-level warning at 11:13 p.m. MDT on October 8 and extending it through 9:00 p.m. MDT on October 9. The warning covers the same terrain as the earlier Fire Weather Watch: the Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest areas and the Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest.
Public Safety
Fire Weather Watch Issued for Helena-Area National Forests Through Thursday Evening
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Fire Weather Watch beginning October 8 and running through 6:00 p.m. MDT on October 9, covering the Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest areas along with the Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest.
Public Safety
Helena Firefighters Take Fire Safety Message Into Classrooms During Prevention Week
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
Helena firefighters are spending Fire Prevention Week in local classrooms this year, with a focus that goes beyond the traditional stop-drop-and-roll basics. The emphasis in 2026 is lithium-ion batteries — the power source inside the smartphones, tablets, laptops, e-bikes, and electric scooters that have become fixtures in nearly every Helena household.
Public Safety
Enjoy It While It Lasts: Cold, Snow on the Way for Helena This Weekend
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
If you've been enjoying the warm stretch Helena has had this week, Thursday is your last good day to make the most of it. An upper-level ridge has been keeping temperatures pleasant and skies clear, but a strong trough moving in from the Pacific Northwest will bring a hard reset to the region by the weekend, with forecasters calling for significantly colder temperatures, rain, and snow.
Public Safety
Fire Weather Watch in Effect for Helena Area Through Thursday Evening
2 sources · nws weather alerts · 06:48
The National Weather Service out of Great Falls has issued a Fire Weather Watch covering the Central and Eastern Lewis and Clark National Forest and both the Helena and Townsend Ranger Districts of the Helena National Forest, running from early Wednesday morning through 6 p.m. Thursday. The combination of dry air, heat, and wind has forecasters concerned about conditions that could turn any spark into a fast-moving fire.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burns Planned This Week Near Continental Divide and Lincoln Ranger District
2 sources · helena-lewis and clark national · 06:48
The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest is scheduling prescribed burn operations across two ranger districts this week, with smoke expected to be visible from Helena and surrounding communities through the weekend. The burns follow successfully completed treatments at the Brooklyn Divide and Wakina Sky units last Friday, where interior fuels are still smoldering during ongoing mop-up operations.
Public Safety
Near-Record Heat to Give Way to Snow by Weekend, Fire Danger Elevated Early in the Week
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
Helena is in for a whiplash week. Temperatures across central Montana are pushing into the 80s to start the week, with Monday bringing near-record highs and elevated fire danger across much of the region. The warm and dry stretch is expected to hold through Friday before a significant pattern shift arrives over the weekend.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Logged in Lewis and Clark County as Ethel 2 RX Fire
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed fire designated as the Ethel 2 RX has been logged in Lewis and Clark County, with zero acres recorded as burned as of October 5. The cause is listed as undetermined in state wildfire tracking records.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Designated as Dalton 2 RX Logged in Lewis and Clark County
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A second prescribed fire entry has appeared in Lewis and Clark County wildfire records, this one listed as the Dalton 2 RX fire. As of October 5, zero acres are recorded as burned, and the cause is listed as undetermined.
Public Safety
Two Prescribed Fire Units Active Near Helena, Acreage Figures Pending
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
Two prescribed fire operations in counties adjacent to Helena were logged in state wildfire records as of September 30th, with both showing zero acres burned and cause listed as undetermined in initial reports.
Public Safety
Smoke Signals: Prescribed Burns Are Active Across the Region, But the Numbers Raise Questions
edition · 09:01
State wildfire tracking data turned up prescribed burn activity across at least four counties this week — Jefferson, Powell, Broadwater, and Lewis and Clark — with units bearing names like RX Red Rocks Fall Units, RX Flint Foothills, Bonanza Ridge RX, and Beartrap Gulch RX. The Bonanza Ridge burn in Broadwater County, just east of Helena, was the most substantial on paper at 550 acres. The others, however, reported zero acres burned at the time of logging, which is worth noting for residents trying to make sense of smoke in the air or questions about fire activity near their communities. Zero-acre listings can reflect burns that haven't ignited yet, reporting lags, or units being held in reserve — the data alone doesn't always tell the full story. Add to that the High Wind Warnings that swept across north-central Montana late last week, issued by the National Weather Service office in Great Falls, and the regional fire picture looks like one worth keeping an eye on heading into October. The National Weather Service Great Falls office was among the week's most-cited entities with 109 mentions, a reflection of how much weather drove local coverage.
Public Safety
Prescribed Fire Unit Reported in Jefferson County, Acreage Listed at Zero
edition · 06:46
A prescribed fire unit called RX Red Rocks Fall Units was reported in Jefferson County as of September 30, with the official acreage listed at zero and the cause listed as undetermined.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Unit Logged in Powell County With No Acreage Recorded
edition · 06:46
A prescribed fire unit designated RX Flint Foothills was reported in Powell County as of September 30, with zero acres recorded and the cause listed as undetermined.
Public Safety
FWP Euthanizes 14 Black Bears Near Bozeman After Finding Animals 'Extremely Food Conditioned'
1 source · daily montanan · 06:47
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens captured and euthanized 14 black bears near Bozeman after investigators determined the animals had become what the agency described as "extremely food conditioned" — a designation that typically means a bear has lost its natural wariness of humans and has come to associate people or developed areas with food sources. The case represents one of the larger single-incident bear removals reported in the region in recent years.
Public Safety
Prescribed Burn Reported in Jefferson County; Fire Listed at Zero Acres
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed fire listed as the RX Red Rocks Fall Units was reported in Jefferson County as of September 30, with records showing zero acres burned and the cause listed as undetermined. The designation suggests land managers may be in early stages of a planned burn operation in the area, though no additional details about the scope or managing agency were included in available fire reports.
Public Safety
Prescribed Fire Listed in Powell County; RX Flint Foothills Shows Zero Acres at Reporting
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed fire called the RX Flint Foothills was logged in Powell County as of September 30, with the reported acreage at zero and the cause listed as undetermined. Like other fall prescribed burns in western Montana, the operation appears to be either in early planning stages or had not yet been ignited at the time of the report.
Public Safety
Beartrap Gulch Prescribed Burn Logged in Lewis and Clark County
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A fire designated as the Beartrap Gulch RX burn was recorded in Lewis and Clark County as of September 22, with zero acres burned listed in state wildfire tracking data. The cause is listed as undetermined.
Public Safety
550-Acre Prescribed Fire Recorded in Broadwater County Near Helena
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:47
A prescribed fire designated as the Bonanza Ridge RX burn has charred 550 acres in Broadwater County, according to state wildfire tracking data reported September 24. The cause is listed as undetermined in available records, which is notable for a fire carrying the RX designation — a label typically applied to intentionally set land management burns conducted by agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, or state forestry.
Public Safety
High Wind Warning Sweeps Across North-Central Montana Friday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Warning early Friday, September 26, covering portions of north-central Montana until noon MDT. Forecasters called for westerly winds of 30 to 50 mph with gusts reaching up to 70 mph.
Public Safety
NWS Issues High Wind Warning for North-Central Montana Through Saturday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls posted a High Wind Warning Thursday, September 25, covering a stretch of north-central Montana from 5:00 PM Thursday through 6:00 AM Saturday. The warning called for westerly winds sustained at 30 to 50 mph, with gusts up to 70 mph.
Public Safety
High Wind Warning Issued for Northern Montana Plains Through Friday Morning
edition · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Warning beginning Friday afternoon, September 26 at 5:00 PM and running through 6:00 AM Saturday, September 27. A follow-up warning then extended coverage from early Friday morning through noon that same day, covering the same region.
Public Safety
Burn Scars, Flood Watches, and Prescribed Fires: Helena's Week Was Defined by What the Sky Might Do
edition · 09:01
It was not a quiet weather week in the Helena Valley. The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Flash Flood Watch on Thursday, September 18, extended it through Saturday, and kept burn scars in the conversation as an elevated risk factor throughout. Meanwhile, at least three prescribed burns — the Beartrap Gulch RX, the Kelly Gulch RX, and a planned Bear Gulch burn through the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest — were active or scheduled in Lewis and Clark County. None spread beyond their intended areas, and by late in the week acreage on both recorded burns was sitting at zero. Still, the combination of intentional fire on the landscape and a Flood Watch in the valley is a reminder of how layered Helena's wildland-urban interface reality is. Fire managers are trying to do the preventive work while the window is open; the weather is doing what it does regardless. The National Weather Service in Great Falls appeared repeatedly across the week's coverage, and the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest was among the most frequently mentioned entities in this edition. For residents living near burn scars or in the valley bottom, the message from land managers and forecasters alike was the same: conditions can shift fast, and this is not the week to be caught off guard.