The National Interagency Fire Center Tuesday raised the national wildland fire preparedness to Level 4 on a 5-point rating.
NIFC says it’s been nine years since the National Preparedness Level was bumped to a four in June. This is the second earliest the agency has ever elevated the rating to that level in June.
The rating indicates that areas of the country are competing for firefighting resources and that more than half of the country’s wildland firefighting resources are committed.
Nationally, 47 large, active fires have burned a half million acres. Four of those large fires are in Montana, where managers have said conditions more resemble August than June.
NIFC predicts the potential for significant wildland fires will be above normal in western Montana in July. The whole state of Montana is predicted to see above normal potential for significant fires in August.
The National Weather Service says scattered thunderstorms might spread into central Idaho and southwest Montana overnight. Some storms could be dry with lightning and gusty winds.
