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Public Safety
Public Safety
Federal Emergency Order Brings Backup Power Online Across Montana as Heat Wave Builds
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
The U.S. Department of Energy issued an emergency order Sunday authorizing the region's primary grid manager to bring backup generators online across 17 states, including Montana and Wyoming, as an approaching heat wave threatens to push electricity demand toward record levels. The order gives grid operators the authority to dispatch generation resources that would not normally be available under standard operating rules — a step federal officials reserve for situations where supply margins are tight enough that outages become a real possibility.
Public Safety
Yellowstone Closes Rivers and Streams to Fishing Midday as Water Temperatures Spike
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
Yellowstone National Park announced Wednesday that all rivers and streams inside the park will be closed to fishing from 2 p.m. to sunrise each day, citing dangerously high water temperatures and low stream flows that can kill fish stressed by angling activity. The closures apply park-wide and add to existing restrictions on the Madison, Firehole, and Gibbon rivers below Norris campground that have been in place since July 15.
Public Safety
Air Quality Alert Covers Lewis and Clark County Through Tuesday Morning as Smoke and Heat Combine
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality alert for Lewis and Clark County and more than two dozen surrounding counties, in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 29. The alert, relayed through the National Weather Service office in Great Falls, covers a broad swath of central and western Montana and is tied to elevated particulate levels — most likely from wildfire smoke — compounding under the same heat system straining the regional electrical grid this week.
Public Safety
Twin Sisters Fire Breaks Out Near Judith Gap Under Red Flag Conditions
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A wildfire ignited Saturday afternoon near the Judith Basin and Wheatland County line, prompting aerial resource requests and drawing U.S. Forest Service crews to a landscape already under a Red Flag Warning. The Twin Sisters Fire was first reported shortly before 2 p.m. and had reached 20 acres by the time initial reports came out of Wheatland County Emergency Management.
Public Safety
Park County Homicide Suspect Rearrested After Alleged Release Violation
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A 65-year-old woman charged in connection with a Park County man's death earlier this year was rearrested Monday after Park County authorities say she violated the conditions of her pretrial release. Ann Brooks was taken into custody Monday afternoon on one count of misdemeanor criminal contempt, according to Park County Sheriff Tad Dykstra.
Public Safety
Smoke Settles Over Helena as Fire Season Intensifies Across Western Montana
2 sources · daily montanan · 06:47
Wildfire smoke pushed into Lewis and Clark County this week as fire activity ramped up across Montana and the broader region, with air quality readings in much of western Montana hitting or exceeding 100 on the Air Quality Index. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality flagged the deteriorating conditions Monday, and the National Weather Service office in Great Falls followed with a formal air quality alert covering Lewis and Clark County.
Public Safety
Smoke Prompts Air Quality Alert for Lewis and Clark County Through Sunday Morning
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:48
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality alert for Lewis and Clark County on Saturday, July 26, with the advisory running through 9 a.m. Sunday, July 27. The National Weather Service office in Great Falls relayed the alert at 8:55 a.m. MDT. Eleven Montana counties are covered, stretching from Missoula and Ravalli in the west to Hill, Liberty, Toole, and Pondera in the north.
Public Safety
Two Wildfires Ignite Near South Fork Fish Creek Community in Ninemile Ranger District
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:46
Firefighters on the Lolo National Forest are responding to two new wildfires burning in heavy timber near the South Fork Fish Creek Community in the Ninemile Ranger District. The fires — named the Owl Creek Fire and the Cache Creek Fire — are positioned roughly a mile north and a mile south of the community, respectively, placing the residential area between two active fire fronts.
Public Safety
Heat Advisory in Effect Through Sunday Evening; NWS Warns of Lethal Car Temperatures
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Heat Advisory for portions of central, north central, and southwest Montana beginning Friday night and running through 9 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Helena falls within the advisory area. Forecasters are calling for high temperatures between 90 and 95 degrees, with conditions capable of causing heat-related illness in people who spend extended time outdoors or in unventilated spaces.
Public Safety
Heat Advisory in Effect Through Sunday; Helena Could See Triple Digits Saturday
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Heat Advisory late Thursday night covering portions of southwest Montana, including the Helena area, with the warning running through 9 p.m. Sunday. Forecasters say high temperatures could reach the upper 90s to near 100 degrees, with Saturday expected to be the worst of it.
Public Safety
AI License Plate Cameras Operating in Great Falls; Montana Weighing Response as Debate Grows
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
Flock Safety cameras capable of scanning and logging license plates are already operating at retail locations in Great Falls, including at a Home Depot parking lot, and most shoppers have no idea the technology is there. The cameras use artificial intelligence to read plates and, in some deployments, flag vehicles of interest to law enforcement or property owners.
Public Safety
Red Flag Warning Issued for Lewis and Clark National Forest Areas Friday Through Saturday Evening
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service in Great Falls issued a Red Flag Warning late Thursday night for a broad swath of central Montana, including the Lewis and Clark National Forest Rocky Mountain District and the Rocky Mountain Front, with the warning running through 9 p.m. Saturday. Forecasters cited a dangerous combination of high winds, low humidity, and extreme temperatures.
Public Safety
Fire Danger Is Not a Drill: Red Flags, Heat Advisories, and Smoke on the Horizon
edition · 09:01
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls had a busy week issuing urgent weather products for the Helena area, and taken together they paint a picture that anyone who has lived through a Montana fire season should recognize. A Heat Advisory ran through Sunday with temperatures threatening to hit 100 degrees in the Helena area. A Red Flag Warning covered Lewis and Clark County through Friday night, citing low humidity and gusty winds. A Fire Weather Watch extended the concern north across a broad swath of north-central Montana into the weekend. Then, just to underline the point, a two-acre wildfire — the Gray Fire — broke out in neighboring Jefferson County. None of these events is catastrophic on its own, but the pattern this week is a clear signal that fire season has arrived in earnest. Residents should have defensible space around their homes, know their evacuation routes, and pay attention to alerts from Lewis and Clark County emergency management. The National Weather Service Great Falls office appeared in multiple stories this week and is worth following directly for the most current conditions.
Public Safety
Red Flag Warning Covers Lewis and Clark County Through Friday Night; Fire Danger Elevated
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service in Great Falls has issued a Red Flag Warning for Lewis and Clark County and the surrounding region, in effect from Wednesday evening through 9 p.m. Friday, July 25. The warning covers a broad swath of north-central Montana including the Lewis and Clark National Forest's Rocky Mountain District, the Rocky Mountain Front, and adjacent plains counties stretching from Glacier County east through Blaine County.
Public Safety
No Criminal Charges Filed in June Carnival Ride Death at Butte Fair
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A month-long investigation into a deadly carnival ride accident in Butte has ended without criminal charges, Silver Bow County Attorney Matt Enrooth announced this week. The accident occurred in June during a carnival operated by Midway West Amusements, and resulted in at least one fatality.
Public Safety
Heat Advisory in Effect Through Sunday; Temperatures Could Hit 100 in Helena Area
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Heat Advisory for portions of southwest Montana, including the Helena area, that runs from noon Friday through 9 p.m. Sunday, July 26. Forecasters are warning residents to expect high temperatures up to 100 degrees during that window, with conditions posing a real risk of heat-related illness for anyone spending extended time outdoors or in homes without air conditioning.
Public Safety
Fire Weather Watch in Effect Through Saturday for Much of North-Central Montana
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:46
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls has issued a Fire Weather Watch covering a broad swath of north-central Montana, running from Friday morning through Saturday evening. The watch cites a combination of hot temperatures, gusty winds, and low relative humidity — the classic trio that fire managers dread and that can turn a small ignition into a fast-moving problem.
Public Safety
Montana Highway Patrol Seeks Witnesses in Fatal I-90 Crash Near Livingston
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
The Montana Highway Patrol is asking anyone who was driving westbound on Interstate 90 near Livingston Monday evening to come forward after a fatal crash that investigators believe may have involved a vehicle that left the scene. The crash occurred between 8:40 and 9 p.m. near mile marker 332, according to a social media post from the patrol.
Public Safety
Billings Teen Killed in Shooting; Investigators Look at Whether Death Was Accidental
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A 14-year-old boy was shot and killed Sunday on the 800 block of Howard Avenue in Billings, and investigators are examining whether the shooting was unintentional. No arrests had been made as of initial reports, and police have not released the name of the victim.
Public Safety
Two-Acre Gray Fire Burns in Jefferson County
1 source · nifc wildfires · 06:46
A small wildfire broke out in Jefferson County this week, burning approximately two acres before being reported to state fire officials. The fire, named the Gray fire, was caused by natural ignition — typically lightning in this region during summer thunderstorm season.
Public Safety
Heat Is the Story Eastern Montana Can't Escape — and Helena Is Feeling It Too
edition · 09:01
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls had a busy week, and not in a good way. Flash flood watches covered portions of southeast and central Lewis and Clark County on successive days — the burn scar country east of Helena remains especially vulnerable — while a Heat Advisory ran through Monday evening for Helena and much of southwest Montana. Eastern Montana shattered heat records near Glendive, and a Forsyth reading briefly circulated as a potential all-time state record before the NWS declined to certify it. Ranchers across the eastern part of the state scrambled to protect livestock. For Helena residents, the pattern is hard to ignore: an alternating drumbeat of dangerous heat and flash flood risk that forecasters say will continue through the weekend with afternoon and evening thunderstorms. The National Weather Service Great Falls office appeared in four separate stories this week, more than almost any other single entity in the digest. Whether you're a rancher watching your cattle in 100-plus-degree heat or a hiker in the hills east of town, this is a summer that is demanding attention.
Public Safety
Lewis and Clark County Jail Roster Published Daily by Sheriff's Office
1 source · lewis & clark county sheriff jai · 06:47
The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office continues to publish its daily jail roster online, providing public access to booking information for individuals held at the county detention facility. The roster is updated each day and reflects current custody status as of the time of publication.
Public Safety
Flash Flood Watch in Effect for Southeast Lewis and Clark County Through Tonight
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Flash Flood Watch early Thursday morning covering portions of southeast Lewis and Clark County and northwest Meagher County, with the watch running through midnight Friday. The concern is focused on the Horse Gulch Burn Scar, where stripped hillsides leave little to absorb a hard rain before water and debris start moving fast.
Public Safety
Flash Flood Watch in Effect Through Thursday Evening for Burn Scar Country East of Helena
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Flash Flood Watch Wednesday morning covering portions of central Montana, including the Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains, with the watch running from Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening. The primary concern is the Horse Gulch Burn Scar, where bare, hydrophobic soils left by wildfire can turn moderate rainfall into fast-moving debris flows with little warning.
Public Safety
Heat Advisory in Effect Through Monday Evening for Helena and Much of Southwest Montana
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:48
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls has issued a Heat Advisory running from noon Friday through 9 p.m. Monday for portions of central, north central, and southwest Montana — including the Helena area. Forecasters are calling for daytime highs between 95 and 105 degrees, with overnight lows offering only modest relief in the 60 to 70 degree range.
Public Safety
ICE Operations Send Ripples From Gallatin County to Helena's Front Door
edition · 09:00
What started as news from Bozeman landed squarely on Helena's radar by midweek. Immigration and Customs Enforcement carried out a wave of operations in Gallatin County during the week of June 29, with community organizations estimating more than 100 people detained — a number that triggered immediate concern among immigrant advocates here in the capital city. A federal judge stepped in to order the release of at least one Bozeman man who had been held at the Cascade County Detention Center after a Montana law firm challenged the arrest, arguing the stop — made from an unmarked vehicle — was unlawful. The legal fight moved quickly through federal court, and the ruling landed as advocates in Helena were already organizing. The through-line across three days of coverage is clear: enforcement activity that began two hours down the road is reshaping how Helena's Latino community, legal advocates, and local organizations are preparing for what may come next. Montana's congressional delegation and state officials have weighed in with varying degrees of concern. For Helena residents, the story is no longer abstract — it's a question of what local institutions will do, and how fast, if operations expand westward.
Public Safety
Record Heat Possible Through the Weekend as Upper-Level Ridge Parks Over Helena
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
Helena is heading into what forecasters are calling the hottest stretch of the year so far, with an upper-level high-pressure ridge locking in over the region and driving temperatures well into the 90s and possibly above 100 degrees through the weekend and into Monday.
Public Safety
NWS Issues Heat Advisory for Helena Area Through Monday Evening
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a Heat Advisory for portions of southwest, central, and north central Montana beginning noon Saturday and running through 9 p.m. Monday, July 13. The advisory covers the Helena area and comes as forecasters are tracking the hottest stretch of weather the region has seen this year.
Public Safety
Montana Law Firm Challenges ICE Arrest in Federal Court, Citing Unmarked Vehicle Stop
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A Montana law firm has filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus in federal court challenging the arrest and detention of a 20-year-old Bozeman man, arguing that the manner of his June 29 arrest raised serious constitutional questions.
Public Safety
Billings Family Says Golf Course Worker Rammed 15-Year-Old With Cart on Fourth of July
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A Billings family is speaking out after a 15-year-old boy was allegedly struck repeatedly by a golf cart operated by a worker at Lake Hills Golf Course on July 4, in an incident the family says left the teenager shaken and injured.
Public Safety
ICE Detains More Than 100 in Gallatin County Raids; Helena Advocates on Alert
1 source · daily montanan · 06:46
A wave of immigration enforcement operations swept through Gallatin County this week, with community organizations estimating that more than 100 people were detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The raids, described as targeted operations, left residents and immigrant advocacy groups in Bozeman shaken — and prompted immediate concern among similar organizations in Helena, roughly 90 miles to the west.
Public Safety
Propane Leak Explosion Levels Alzada Rental Home; Family Had No Insurance
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
An Alzada family lost their home early Sunday morning after a propane leak triggered an explosion that destroyed the house, leaving them without shelter and, critically, without insurance coverage to help them rebuild. The rental property, located in Carter County in the far southeastern corner of the state, was leveled by the blast. The family's car, parked near the house, was also destroyed.
Public Safety
Two Montana Mothers Channel Grief Into Push for Suicide Prevention Legislation
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:48
Two Montana mothers who each lost a child to suicide are working together to turn their grief into law, advocating for new legislation they hope will prevent other families from going through what they have endured. Tracie Meshal's daughter Railyn — described by her mother as funny, creative, and full of life — is among the children whose deaths are driving the effort.
Public Safety
Wind, Weather, and a Forensic Hospital: The State's Infrastructure Week
edition · 09:01
Two high wind warnings — one covering MacDonald Pass and the Southern Rocky Mountain Front, another targeting the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains — served as a reminder this week that Helena's geography makes severe weather a recurring fact of life rather than an occasional inconvenience. The warnings overlapped and extended through Monday night, affecting the mountain corridors that commuters and travelers use regularly. Separately, the state announced it has chosen Laurel as the site for a new 32-bed forensic psychiatric hospital, ending a long-running selection process over local objections from Laurel residents who fought the placement. The forensic facility decision matters beyond the Yellowstone Valley: Montana has been under pressure for years to expand its forensic psychiatric capacity, and the lack of adequate beds has created bottlenecks in the criminal justice system that affect courts, jails, and defendants statewide. The Laurel siting clears a bureaucratic hurdle, but the facility still has to be built — and funded. Meanwhile, FWP quietly closed the northern section of the Point of Rocks Fishing Access Site, a small but locally significant closure for anglers who rely on public river access. When you stack those stories together — weather infrastructure stress, a long-delayed mental health facility finally moving forward, and public land access shifting — the week offered a useful cross-section of the unglamorous but consequential decisions that shape daily life in Montana.
Public Safety
Powell County Sheriff's Captain Resigns as Attorney General Prepares Criminal Case
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:46
A Powell County Sheriff's Office captain who has been under investigation for roughly a year has resigned from his position, and the Montana Attorney General's Office has moved to take over prosecution of his case, according to officials in Deer Lodge.
Public Safety
Giant Banana Car Stopped by Montana Highway Patrol Near Billings
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A vehicle shaped like an oversized banana drew the attention of Montana Highway Patrol while traveling along Interstate 90 near Billings this week, resulting in a traffic stop that turned out to be more conversation than citation.
Public Safety
Shooting at Anaconda Bar Under Investigation; Suspect in Custody
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
Authorities in Anaconda are investigating a shooting Saturday night at Carmel's Bar on the 600 block of East Third Street, according to Anaconda-Deer Lodge County law enforcement. A suspect was taken into custody, and officials said they do not believe there is an ongoing threat to the broader community.
Public Safety
NWS Issues High Wind Warning for MacDonald Pass, Rocky Mountain Front Through Monday Night
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
A High Wind Warning covering MacDonald Pass, the Southern Rocky Mountain Front, Upper Blackfoot, and a broad swath of north-central Montana went into effect June 16, running from noon through midnight, according to the National Weather Service office in Great Falls. The warning was among the more geographically expansive single-day wind events issued for the region this season.
Public Safety
High Wind Warning Hits Big Belt, Bridger and Castle Mountains Through Monday Night
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls issued a High Wind Warning for the Big Belt, Bridger, and Castle Mountains on June 16, with the warning running from noon through midnight that evening. The agency rated the event as severe in intensity with expected urgency, meaning forecasters were confident in the timing and strength of the system.
Public Safety
Disabled Semi Partially Blocking US-12 Westbound Near Milepost 74
1 source · 511mt road closures · 06:48
A disabled semi-truck was partially blocking the northbound lane of US-12 at approximately milepost 74 on Monday, prompting a traffic advisory for drivers heading westbound on the route, according to Montana Department of Transportation incident reports.
Public Safety
Fire on Mt. Helena's North Face Contained Monday Afternoon
1 source · montana free press · 06:48
Helena firefighters and state forestry crews contained a fire on the north face of Mt. Helena on Monday, keeping a blaze that could have spread quickly through dry grass and timber to roughly a quarter of an acre, according to the city and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
Public Safety
Ten-Nation Military Exercise Wraps Up at Fort Harrison
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A multinational military exercise involving more than 350 soldiers from 10 countries concluded at Fort Harrison this week, capping a training event that brought together forces from across U.S. Central Command's area of responsibility for joint field exercises, medical response drills, cybersecurity scenarios, and operational coordination work.
Public Safety
New Bronze Statue Installed at Montana Firefighters Memorial Ahead of Saturday Ceremony
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:46
A 500-pound bronze statue of a wildland firefighter arrived Thursday at the Montana State Firefighters Memorial in Laurel, installed just ahead of the annual ceremony this Saturday honoring firefighters who have died in the line of duty.
Public Safety
Montana's Seat Belt Use Trails National Average by 15 Points, State Data Shows
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:46
Three out of four Montana adults say they always wear a seat belt, according to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services — a rate that sounds reasonable until measured against the national average, which tops 90 percent. That 15-point gap puts Montana among the states with the lowest reported seat belt compliance in the country.
Public Safety
Beaverhead Deputies Raid Dillon Truck Stop in Exotic Drug Case
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:46
Beaverhead County law enforcement descended on a truck stop south of Dillon last week in a raid involving roughly 30 to 35 officers, alleging the business was being used as a front for processing and selling an illegal exotic drug.
Public Safety
13-Year-Old Seriously Injured After Falling From Ride at Butte Carnival
1 source · ktvh helena · 06:47
A 13-year-old boy suffered serious injuries Sunday afternoon after falling from a ride at the Midwest Amusements Carnival operating in the north parking lot of the Butte Civic Center. Butte police responded to the scene just after 3 p.m.
Public Safety
High Wind Watch in Effect for Helena Valley Through Wednesday Night
1 source · nws weather alerts · 06:47
The National Weather Service office in Great Falls has issued a High Wind Watch for the Helena Valley and surrounding areas, running from Wednesday morning through late Wednesday night. West winds of 30 to 40 mph are expected, with gusts potentially reaching 60 mph.
Public Safety
Lewis & Clark County Jail Roster: Daily Booking Information Available Online
1 source · lewis & clark county sheriff jai · 06:04
The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office continues to publish a daily jail roster with current booking information, giving residents a publicly accessible record of individuals held at the county detention facility. The roster is updated on a regular basis and reflects bookings processed through the jail.
Public Safety
Northbound I-15 Lane Closure in Effect Through July 4 for Shoulder Work Near Helena
1 source · 511mt road closures · 06:04
Drivers heading northbound on Interstate 15 near Helena are dealing with a right lane closure that will remain in place through July 3. The construction zone runs from milepost 146.0 to 148.0 — a roughly two-mile stretch — with speed limits dropping to between 35 and 55 mph and a 16-foot width restriction in effect.
Public Safety
Water Is the Word: Flood Watches, River Rescues, and a Campground Closure Signal a Wet and Complicated Season
edition · 09:01
Helena and the surrounding region spent much of this week watching water levels with one eye and the calendar with the other. A Flood Watch covered Gates of the Mountains and central Montana through Sunday evening. The Missouri River below Holter Dam was running at 3,820 cubic feet per second. Great Falls emergency crews pulled two people from the Missouri in a single afternoon. A body was recovered from Flathead Lake near Bigfork. And Park Lake Campground in the Helena National Forest closed for the season — not for floods, but for dam and road repairs that the wet conditions have made newly urgent.