Drought, predicated wind gusts, challenge Montana wildfires battle.
“We’re trying to really get things buttoned down, (build a) strong perimeter around the fire,” said Crystal Beckman, an information officer on the Sartin Draw fire in eastern Montana.
That fire had burned 140 square miles since it was reported Wednesday.
It was only 10 percent contained.
Lightning started the Brush Flat fire on Wednesday, and by Saturday it had burned about 262 square miles of grass, brush and timber.
The East Fork fire in northern Montana had burned about 34 square miles and prompted some evacuations, but the Hill County Sheriff’s Department could not say how many residences were covered by the orders to leave.
Authorities said five structures have been destroyed but it wasn’t clear if any were homes.
Virtually the entire state was listed in some stage of drought.
The cause of the chalet fire wasn’t immediately known.
Firefighters said the flames appeared to come from within the building.