New restrictions on building a campfire or smoking on public lands start Monday across new portions of northwestern Montana.
The Stage II fire restrictions will take effect as the state faces a severe drought, continued forecast for hot, dry weather and firefighting resources stretched thin across the western U.S.
Beth Pargman is with the Flathead National Forest:
“It’s important for folks recreating on public lands to do their part. Each year, 70-80 percent of wildfires are human-caused, and anything that we can have the public’s help in doing to prevent those human starts is greatly appreciated.”
Earlier this month Gov. Greg Gianforte declared a wildland fire state of emergency in Montana. In that announcement, Gianforte said about 78 percent of the wildfires that had burned over 141,000 acres in the state at that time were human-caused.