Stage I fire restrictions put in place

Since 2000, the average precipitation in Ekalaka for the month of June is 2.93 inches. That average has fallen considerably in the last two years as Ekalaka received only 0.65 inches in June of 2016, and only 0.91 in June of this year.

June was also hot this year. Though not as hot as last year, the average high temperature in June was 80.9 degrees Fahrenheit. That was 5.4 degrees hotter than the average since 2000 of 75.5 degrees.

The average high temperature so far this month is a whooping 94.5 degrees and Ekalaka has only received .07 inches of precipitation.

These high temperatures are drying up fields, shrubs, and trees in eastern Montana and increasing fire danger, prompting county commissioners to implement Stage I fire restrictions, effective at 12:01 p.m. on July 14. The ban will remain in effect until further notice.

During the ban no campfires are allowed, nor is smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials. Fireworks are also prohibited. Exemptions to these restrictions can be seen in the full resolution under the legal section in the online classifieds. Recreationists may cook on a liquid petroleum gas or propane stove that can be turned on and off.

In cooperation with Carter County, all Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) lands within the county will also be placed in Stage I restrictions. This includes Medicine Rocks State Park, where campfires and smoking are restricted.

Any individual who causes a wildland fire intentionally or through negligence will be held accountable for damage and suppression costs.