Weekend heat wave has fire crews on edge

Already dry conditions in Western Montana are poised to get even crispier this weekend as a surge of record hot weather pushes into the region.

Thermometer readings could climb into triple digits starting Sunday while humidity levels plummet. Dry thunderstorms, the worst kind for this time of year, are all but likely, forecasters say.

In anticipation of the historic heat wave, city officials closed open burning in Whitefish on Monday and cautioned against recreational fires.

“It’s extremely, extremely dry out there,” said Whitefish Fire Chief Joe Page. “It’s ripe for [fire] starts. With as dry as fuels are, we’re definitely worried about wildland activity.”

National Weather Service forecaster Michael Richmond says forest fuels in Western Montana have dried out quickly following two months of below average precipitation.

Last month was the driest May ever in the Flathead, and June precipitation is lagging far behind normal levels with no relief in the forecast.

The mountain snowpack has already melted except from the highest peaks, and river levels have already topped out.

“Fire danger overall is going to come up really quickly starting this weekend with hot dry weather coming in,” Richmond said.

“We are going to have our driest ever May and June west of the Continental Divide and that’s why we are so concerned about the fire danger,” he added.

Richmond said the hot air mass will pour into the valley on Sunday. Heat waves typically last four to 14 days, he said.

“Get ready for it because it is coming,” he said.

Page hasn’t seen conditions this dry since he worked on the Front Range in Colorado.

“Single-digit humidity was normal there,” he said. “For us to see this is really unusual, especially when June is supposed to be the rainy month.”

Page advises residents to keep lawns mowed and watered, and to clear debris from gutters.

Fourth of July fireworks are of serious concern for his department.

“I really wish people wouldn’t do their own firework shows this year and would attend the organized ones,” he said. “The big shows have enough personnel to handle a [fire] start. What we worry about is individuals with fireworks that land in a nearby yard, no one notices it, and it takes off later.”

Fireworks are allowed within city limits on July 3 and July 4 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fireworks can be sold in the city July 2-4 from noon to 8 p.m.