Pressure Washer Installation
August 8, 2023
Lessons from the Indianapolis 500
September 20, 2023
You have all read some of my pithy words about Montana and her seasons. I have decided we have a 5th season in Montana – smoke. Yep, the hot, dry summer weather invariably leads to some forest fires getting started – mostly from lightning strikes – and the subsequent smoke. Some days I think China has better air quality than we do.
The good news is that while we do still have some weeks of summer weather left, we can expect some cooler days ahead which always helps the fire situation. And Lord willing, some of our traditional fall moisture will arrive early and put an early end to the fire (and smoke) season.
Big Knife Fire
Smoke boils up from the Big Knife fire east of Arlee, Montana on Tuesday, August 15, 2023.
Photo by Roy Carter, ATW Lead Installer
Derby Fire, 2006
Back in 2006, the Derby fire in south central Montana did a massive amount of destruction, burning 223,570 acres, 26 homes in a matter of a couple of weeks.
The Big Burn, 1910
As you can see, fires have been a large part of the Rocky Mountain Region since man's arrival - and probably long before. The Big Burn of 1910 burned over 3 million acres, killed 87 people and leveled a huge section of Wallace, ID - as can be seen in the image to the left.
