Five wildfires burning in southeastern Montana in Rosebud and Big Horn counties have grown to a collective 31,102 acres and evacuation orders have been issued for residents in the Tongue River area.

A wildfire burning on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest north of Canyon Ferry is now listed at 10,857 acres as of Friday morning, up from the last report of 7,600 acres Thursday.

An experienced agricultural and firefighting pilot has been identified as the lone person killed in a plane crash Wednesday afternoon, during a firefighting mission on the Horse Gulch Fire near Helena.

Montana’s fire season has wound down, and while it was milder than land managers predicted, data indicate continued drought and high temperatures could lead to more intense fire seasons in the years to come.

Stage 1 fire restrictions banning campfires and limiting outdoor smoking had been in place since late spring.

The fire preparedness level for the Northern Rockies region dropped this week.

Aerial attacks on the Mount Helena Fire were halted for 12 minutes Sunday afternoon after a drone was spotted on the scene.

Underground coal seams can burn unnoticed for years. They can also spark raging wildfires. Funding to extinguish them is limited, but a mapping effort is underway to plot the smoldering coordinates.

Rain and cooler temperatures helped firefighters make progress this weekend on two large, aggressive wild fires in central and eastern Montana.

Fire crews from several agencies and air resources are making progress on a nearly 1,300-acre fire in Treasure County in southeast Montana.