10/05/2026
The Bitterroot National Forest will be conducting prescribed burning operations in the West Fork and East Fork areas this week. If you see smoke in these areas, this is likely the source. Please see their links below for full information:
🔥 Prescribed Burning Scheduled for the Week of Oct. 5, 2026 🔥
Please stay tuned and continue to monitor this page for changes as conditions evolve.
Firing operations are planned in two prescribed burn areas on the Bitterroot National Forest - Piquett Creek and Cameron Gap Project Areas. To see these areas, please visit https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/4ac726fda3434b40bf59a127f1ddf380
📌Piquett Creek Prescribed Burn Project Area
The West Fork Ranger District, along with other personnel from the Bitterroot National Forest, will be looking at conducting prescribed fire activities in the Piquett Creek Project area starting on Monday, Oct. 5, and continuing each day for the rest of the week.
During operational periods, people should expect increased vehicle traffic and smoke to settle in low laying areas along the Piquett Creek corridor and Highway 473.
🚧 Signs will be in place at the Conner cutoff junction with Hwy 473, at the Trapper Creek Job Corps Center, the mouth of Piquett Creek and south along Hwy 473 near the West Fork Volunteer Fire Department.
No closures are expected during hand ignitions. Expect some delays along forest roads in the Piquett area during operations.
Please also visit InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mtbrf-piquett-creek-planned-prescribed-burn
📌Cameron Gap Prescribed Burn Project Area
Firefighters may begin hand ignitions the evening of Oct. 5. Operations are planned to begin on the north side of Cameron Creek along Forest Service Roads 1397 and 1398. 300 acres are planned on Monday. Aerial ignitions using a helitorch (an aerial ignition device — hung or mounted under a helicopter) are planned on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The goal for this area is 2,500 acres.
🚧 Signs will be in place as well as road guards. Expect a lot of fire resources in the area so please use caution when in this location.
Please check local air quality at fire.airnow.gov/
For resources to reduce smoke exposure, please visit montanawildfiresmoke.org/
Please check the Bitterroot National Forest Interactive Burn Map at https://experience.arcgis.com/.../4ac726fda3434b40bf59a12...
Or InciWeb at https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/mtbrf-cameron-gap-prescribed-burn-project-area
County officials are aware of this burn. Please do not report.
To read more about fall planned prescribed burning, please visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/.../bitterroot-national-forest...
Ravalli County Sheriff's Office
Ravalli County Office of Emergency Management
Fire In the Root
Montana Department of Environmental Quality
Montana DNRC
📸Why we conduct prescribed burns ... This is a current picture of the Como Horse Lick Prescribed Burn Project Area. It was burned in 2024. It shows the reduction of ladder and surface fuels, which helps to reduce fire intensity and increases probability of success during initial attack in the event of a wildfire.
