Fireworks bans are spreading across western Montana in the face of hot, dry weather, and high fire danger.
The City of Whitefish has canceled its 4th of July public fireworks display, citing a fire weather watch for Saturday, issued by the National Weather Service. The Weather Service says to expect high temperatures, low humidifies and gusty winds from the Flathead Valley, through Missoula to south of Dillon. Communities included in the fire weather watch include Eureka, Libby, Polson, Seeley Lake, Hamilton and Butte.
The city of Whitefish Wednesday also banned private use of fireworks, as did Flathead county on Thursday.
As of publication time, the AP reports that the following western Montana counties are banning fireworks: Lake, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Ravalli, and Sanders counties.
At this time, the federal government is only tracking one major wildfire in Montana, the Glacier Rim fire just south of Glacier National Park. Authorities now say that fire is 45% contained, and have reduced the number of people working on it from 120 to 85. Helicopters are continuing to work on the fire.