Adverse wind conditions forced the hard landing of a Montana DNRC helicopter that caught fire near Townsend last week. This is according to a report released by the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation following a review of the incident.

The weather has been good in the last few days to firefighters working the Deep Creek Fire near Townsend.

Planning a weekend on the water? Think again. Cooney is closed to watercraft, till further notice.

Here are some facts about the Robertson Draw Fire south of Red Lodge as of Friday, June 18.

Three fires are continuing to cause concern.

This year the county commissioners should act, and unless there is some significant weather change, ban fireworks county-wide. The risk is too great.

Bottom line up front: "There are still no plans to evacuate the city of Red Lodge." -US Forest Service Public Information Officer Billy Chapman.

A Montana DNRC helicopter went down near Townsend, but all crew members are reportedly safe thanks to the quick actions of law enforcement and a DNRC employee.

Wednesday (9/4) could be the hottest day of the year in Billings. Some forecasts predict it could hit 103 in the Magic City, with no chance of rain. High wind gusts are also likely on Wednesday making conditions perfect for wildfires.

Obviously they cause death and destruction for the immediately affected area, but for people who have asthma or other respiratory conditions, they can cause serious breathing problems even for those hundreds of miles away from the flames. I have someone in my family whose asthma can be a real problem and there were many days last year where she simply had to stay indoors because the air quality was so poor.