[***JULIE***]LEWIS AND CLARK
COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ARE WARNING
THE
PUBLICABOUT HIGH FIRE DANGER,
ESPECIALLY IN LOWE
ELEVATIONS.TRI-LAKES FIRE CHIEF
BOB DRAKE BRIEFED COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS DURING THEIR
MEETING THIS MORNING.
.DRAKE
SAID MOISTURE LEVELS ARE
CRITICALLY LOW, ESPECIALLY IN
GRASSES AND OTHER LIGHT,
FAST-BURNING FUELS.BUT BECAUSE
OF THE WETTER WINTER AND SPRING,
MANY GRASSES GREW TALLER AND
DENSER THAN USUAL.THAT MEANS
THERE'S A HIGHER CHANCE OF
DANGEROUS, FAST-MOVING FIRES.THE
TALLER “LADDER FUELS” COULD ALSO
CARRY FIRES INTO THE CROWNS OF
TREES.###




{”WE ARE THERE.
WE NEED THE PUBLIC TO
VOLUNTARILY REALLY BE CAREFUL
AND WATCH WHAT
THEY'RE DOING, BECAUSE IT
DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO START A
FIRE RIGHT
NOW.”}[***JULIE***]F
ERAL, STATE AND LOCAL AGENCIES
ARE HOLDING CONFERENCE CAL
EACH WEEK TO DETERMINE WHETHER
TO CALL FOR FIRE
RESTRICTIONS.DRAKE SAID THERE
WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY BE SOME
RESTRICTIONS WITHIN THE NEXT FEW
WEEKS, UNLESS THERE IS
SUBSTANTIAL RAIN.###




[***JULIE***]WHILE MONTANA HAS
BEEN MOSTLY
