Two new wildfires were reported in central Montana this week, adding to what has been an active fire season across the region. The Porcupine Fire in Powell County has burned approximately 7 acres, while the Sheep Fire in Meagher County has consumed around 3 acres. The cause of both fires remains undetermined.
Powell and Meagher counties sit to Helena's west and southeast, respectively, putting both fires within the broader area that Helena-area residents and commuters travel regularly. Neither fire had prompted public evacuation orders or road closures as of the latest available information, but conditions across the region have remained favorable for fire spread given dry and warm late-summer weather.
Residents in rural areas west and south of Helena are encouraged to monitor InciWeb and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation for updated acreage and containment figures as firefighting resources are deployed. Anyone spotting new smoke is asked to call 911 rather than assume an existing fire is the source.