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.
The Helena Fire Department and DNRC both responded to the fire. By 4:30 p.m., DNRC reported the quarter-acre burn estimate on social media. The city issued an updated press release at 5:10 p.m. confirming the fire had been contained, though the full details of what sparked it were not immediately available in the city's public statements.
Mt. Helena is one of the most-used public open spaces in the city — hikers, trail runners, and dog walkers use its trail system year-round, and the mountain sits directly adjacent to residential neighborhoods on Helena's west side. A fire that escapes containment on that slope in dry, windy conditions would threaten both open space and nearby homes, making the quick response significant for the surrounding community.
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire had not been publicly confirmed as of the city's last update Monday evening. Residents with information about the fire's origin were encouraged to contact the Helena Fire Department.