Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest

09/14/2026

Dispatch – Air Support
Incoming weather, smoke, or resource availability can challenge air support. When coordination is needed and information is required quickly, air support dispatch is there. With years of experience under their belts, the Montana Helena Interagency Dispatch Center (MT-HDC) air support team tackles multiple tasks to bring in helicopters (rotary-wing) and fixed-wing aircrafts (planes) to respond to a fire under a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) so an mid-air collision with a private or commercial aircraft is avoided.

Forest Service photo from August 2026 of the Montana Helena Interagency Dispatch Center (MT-HDC) Air Support dispatcher.

09/13/2026

Work continues prior to the planned 550-acre broadcast Bear Gulch Prescribed Burn scheduled for this week (September 14, 2026). Firefighters have spent the last few weeks working within the Show Me the Horse Trail #378, Mount Helena Ridge Trail #373, and South Dump Gulch Trail #380 systems southwest of Helena. They have built and reinforced control lines, reduced ladder fuels, and identified individual or community values. These mitigation efforts help to reduce the fire’s intensity, keep it within the prescribed fire footprint, and aid in the management of the fire’s movement.

09/13/2026

Dispatch – Initial Attack
Montana Helena Interagency Dispatch Center (MT-HDC) Initial Attack dispatchers come from varied backgrounds, from a school teacher during the academic year to retired firefighters, and their days can last anywhere from 8 to 12 hours. These dispatchers have to have a full understanding of the environment, operations, and resource availability/locations to best ensure that if a fire starts or an Incident Within an Incident (IWI) occurs, they can get multiple resources responding in an organized and safe manner.

09/12/2026

When you need help, who do you call? Dispatch! But who are they and what do they do? Follow along for the next six days as we delve into the behind-the-scenes of dispatch firefighter support.

Dispatch
Montana Helena Interagency Dispatch Center (MT-HDC) is the first line of defense for any Northern Rockies, north-central Montana, fire incident serving the USDA – Forest Service, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Central Land Office – Helena Unit. Their response covers from Butte to the Canadian Border and west of Lincoln to Lewistown. The MT-HDC manages resource ordering and operational processes for the agencies, while recognizing that each agency has unique needs and procedures to ensure that people, vehicles, and supplies get to where they are ordered quickly and efficiently. They are the safety net that anyone within the fire community knows will be there when needed most. These unsung heroes are the backbone of fire management.

09/11/2026

Helena Ranger District Plans Broadcast Burns Southwest of Helena this Fall

(HELENA, MT, September 11, 2026) – The Helena Ranger District has several burns planned throughout September into October. The timelines may shift depending on weather conditions and the completion of all required approvals.

The first planned burn is the Bear Gulch Prescribed Burn, scheduled for Wednesday, September 16, through Thursday, September 17, 2026. The project area lies southwest of Helena along Grizzly Gulch and will reduce fuel loading across 550 acres of federal and private lands.

The next scheduled burn is the Wakina Sky Prescribed Burn, located south of Helena and west of Orofino Gulch Drive. This burn is planned for the week of September 21st and will treat approximately 330 acres.

Finally, the Brooklyn Divide Prescribed Burn, south of Helena near Brooklyn Bridge and Skihi Peak, is expected to begin during the week of September 28th and covers approximately 500 acres.

Collectively, these projects aim to reduce the potential for high-severity wildfires in the surrounding Wildland Urban Interface. The treatments are not intended to stop future fires but to modify fire behavior and intensity, ultimately improving the effectiveness of future wildfire suppression efforts.

Nearby residents or visitors may experience smoke during the prescribed burn. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. Smoke information and resources can also be found through the Lewis and Clark County Public Health website.

The Forest Service will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before the prescribed broadcast burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be postponed to a later date.

For any additional questions call the Helena Ranger District at 406-449-5201.

Press release:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/helena-lewisclark/newsroom/releases/helena-ranger-district-plans-broadcast-burns-southwest

09/11/2026

Make a lasting impact in your local community and national forest!

We are currently recruiting volunteers to serve a four-year term on our Helena-Lewis and Clark Resource Advisory Committee. Over the past few years, this committee has recommended over $800,000 for 23 projects in Broadwater, Meagher, Teton, Lewis and Clark and Judith Basin counties. We are recruiting for 15 vacancies.

Visit: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/helena-lewisclark/working-with-us/committees/helena-lewis-and-clark-resource-advisory-committee to learn more!

09/10/2026

While a few closures remain on the Flathead National Forest, trails in the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest have reopened to the public.

⚠️ Updated Trail Closure for Camp Creek Fire ⚠️

The Spotted Bear Ranger District has updated the trail closure for the Camp Creek Fire to include only those trails directly impacted by the fire. The trail closure includes Ayres Creek Trail #273, Basin Creek Trail #267, and Stadler Creek Trail #271.

Active fire areas are dangerous. Hazards including unstable trees, snags and terrain that remain dangerous even after the flames pass. Please adhere to all posted closures for public and firefighter safety.

This is the final Camp Creek Fire Update unless conditions change.

09/10/2026

The rockslide has been cleared and Sun Canyon Road is open!

09/08/2026

Cool your Coals - An escaped campfire can cause a wildfire within a matter of minutes.

On Monday, September 7, 2026, Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest firefighters responded to a smoke report off of Logging Creek Road northwest of Neihart. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered an escaped campfire. Firefighters rapidly responded resulting in the containment of the wildfire at less then 1/10 of an acre.

09/08/2026

Update for 9/9/2026 at 3:06 pm:
The Bear Gulch prescribed fire that was scheduled for September 10, 2026, southwest of Helena, has been postponed due to unfavorable conditions. Fire personnel are looking at an opportunity to burn the week of Sept. 14th. More details will be shared as they become available.

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Helena Ranger District Planning Broadcast Burn

(HELENA, MT, September 8, 2026) – The Bear Gulch Prescribed Burn project is scheduled to take place on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. The timeline is subject to favorable weather conditions and adherence to all necessary approvals.

The project location is southwest of Helena along Grizzly Gulch. The project aims to reduce fuel loading on 280 acres of federal and private lands.

The purpose of this project is to minimize the potential for high severity wildfire in the surrounding Wildland Urban Interface. The fuels reduction project is not designed to stop fires but instead to change fire behavior and intensity enhancing future wildfire suppression efforts.

Objectives:
• Complete a total of 280 acres of broadcast burning.
• Reduce ladder and surface fuels.
• Occur within the defined prescription parameters.

Nearby residents or visitors may experience smoke during the prescribed burn. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. Smoke information and resources can also be found through the Lewis and Clark County Health website.

The Forest Service will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before the prescribed broadcast burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be postponed to a later date.

For maps and more information about the prescribed burn, visit: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/mthlf-helenalewis-and-clark-nf-rx-fires

News release:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r01/helena-lewisclark/newsroom/releases/helena-ranger-district-planning-broadcast-burn

City of Helena, Local Government
Montana DNRC
Lewis and Clark County / City of Helena 911 Center
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
Lewis and Clark County Emergency Management