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.
Conditions in the updated warning were slightly more severe than those flagged in the watch. West winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 45 mph, temperatures reaching 81 degrees, and relative humidity falling to 13 percent put the area into the most dangerous fire weather category. A Red Flag Warning means conditions are not just possible — they are occurring or imminent.
The NWS warning stated directly that any fires that develop will spread rapidly and that containment may be very difficult. Outdoor burning in or near forested areas should be avoided entirely through Thursday evening. Residents in the South Hills, across the Mount Helena corridor, and in rural areas west and north of the city should be especially aware of the conditions and prepared to act quickly if they spot smoke.