Some Montana wildfires don’t go out until they burn out. Or until the fire experiences a “season-ending weather event.” In the northern Rocky Mountains, this has been defined as 1/2 inch of rain over a 3-day period.

Crown Mountain fire, Oct. 2021 (inciweb.nwcg.gov)

Has Montana’s wildfire season ended yet? Not yet. As of last week, DNRC firefighters were still battling blazes across the state.

The state fire dashboard reported 14 active large fires–perhaps the last 14 of the 2,598 recorded this season. Two new fires were reported within the last week.

These wildfires have burned 940,682 acres, or 1,469 square miles, which is almost exactly 1 percent of Montana’s land mass.

Dry conditions persist across the state. The entire state is listed in “severe drought” status. Most of the state is experiencing “extreme” or “exceptional” drought.

But early predictions are for an El Nina weather pattern this winter, which means above average precipitation. In turn, this may dampen next year’s fire season.