Missoula County Fire Danger Drops from 'Extreme' to 'Very High'

A change in the weather has also changed the fire danger level for Missoula County.

"Our indices: our energy release component primarily, which describes how intensely a fire burns, has gone from 'Extreme' to 'Very High,'" said Chris Johnson with the Missoula County Fire Protection Association. "It's largely due to the moister airflow that we're getting from the southwest."

Rain and possible flooding are expected around the Lolo Creek Complex burn, however, the rains won't necessarily bring an end to fire season.

"Fire season is going to be ended by mother nature when she delivers widespread wetting rains," Johnson said. "Right now, the days are getting shorter and our relative humidities are a little higher. This allows firefighters to get a leg up on existing fires, but fire season won't be over until we get the rains."

Johnson said the clouds need to bring around a tenth of an inch of rain to the whole county in order to bring fire season to a close.