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west yellowstone fire

Now 90 percent contained, crews are mopping up the 3,660-acre Madison Arm Fire near West Yellowstone, Montana's biggest fire thus far, and evacuation orders have been lifted.

The Madison Arm Resort, Lakeshore summer homes, Horse Butte and Rainbow Point areas have been given the go-ahead to return to business as usual, in time for the busy Fourth of July holiday.

Stage 2 fire restrictions are now in place for the Hebgen Lake ranger District around the Madison Arm Fire, no camp fires are allowed and smoking is limited to areas clear of brush.

For other fire updates, visit InciWeb.org.

wildfire updates

Firefighters, almost 500 of them, made significant headway on the Madison Arm Fire near West Yellowstone over the weekend. Montana's largest fire, determined to have been human-caused, is now 60 percent contained having burned more than 3,600 acres.

With fire season in swing, YellowstonePark.com offers a Firewise podcast featuring a Wyoming Firewise expert. Click here to listen in.

For more updates on fires nationwide, visit InciWeb.org, an interagency wildland fire information management system online. [more]

Montana Wildfire Update

Several wildfires are burning in Montana and firefighters are bracing for a busy summer with fire danger high, thunderstorms predicted and temperatures to remain warm through the Fourth of July holiday.

“This is pretty early to be seeing 'extreme' and 'very high' fire danger," said Jack de Golia, public affairs officer for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest. “We usually don’t see this until mid to late July."

The Madison Arm Fire in Southwestern Montana near West Yellowstone is the state's biggest, now 5 percent contained and nearly 3,000 acres. Authorities have evacuated the Baker's Hole Campground, Madison Arm Resort and Lakeshore Summer Homes, said Erin Fryer from the Gallatin National Forest.

Fire crews are filing into the area in to protect the 75 homes currently at risk, Fryer said. [more]

UM, Forest Service Lift Ban

Missoula hang gliders are celebrating University of Montana president George Dennison’s decision to lift a ban that kept them from launching off Mount Sentinel since last fall.

The gliders, a trademark sight over Missoula for more than 30 years, plan to hit the skies early next week, said Karl Hallman, safety officer for the Missoula Hang Glider’s Association.

“That was a cool deal,” Hallman said. “I was quite surprised.”

UM and the Forest Service pulled the plug on hang gliding from Mount Sentinel after two close calls between commercial airliners and gliders triggered safety concerns from Missoula Air Traffic Control. Gliders greeted the ban angrily, and locals voiced unhappiness over losing the familiar sight. [more]

Incoming Freshmen latest in String of athletes in trouble

Two incoming Montana State University football players are the latest Montana athletes to find themselves in trouble with the law after being arrested on allegations that they broke into Bozeman Mayor Jeff Krauss' house while fleeing from police early Monday morning.

Clay Bignell, 19, of Avon, and Daniel Ogden, 18, of Kalispell were allegedly egging homes when authorities spotted them and a chase ensued, police said. The pair allegedly broke into Krauss' home to escape, crawling through a basement window before they were arrested.

Three other incoming freshman were arrested as well, said Cathy Conover, MSU's chief spokesperson. Bignell and Ogden are on probation for one year and will not be allowed to play football during that time. The university also ordered the players to apologize to the homeowners and clean up after the egging. All of those arrested have been charged with misdemeanors.

“They bring discredit to their team members when they do something like this,” Conover said. “It brings a shadow on the community.”

That is a growing shadow -- and isn't confined to just Bozeman. This is one of many high-profile incidents involving Montana football players over the last year. [more]

Split City Council Approves Measure

Mayor John Engen cast the deciding vote at the Missoula City Council Monday night, giving Missoula voters the chance to voice their approval or disapproval on the Iraq war this coming November.

The council agreed to place a non-binding referendum on Iraq, with a stated intent to “influence the United States Congress,” up for a vote in the next election. Proponents of the measure say if Missoula voters speak out against the war, Montana’s representatives may take it to heart and help end the war.

Before the vote, veterans, peace activists and concerned parents lined up outside the City Council Chambers waiting for their chance to talk. [more]

City to Buy 40 Acres Near Clark Fork River

The Missoula City Council Monday unanimously approved using the city’s open space bond money for its first land purchase, adding 40 undeveloped, cottonwood-filled acres to the existing Kelly Island Recreation Area.

The sales price, $20,000, will come from a $10 million bond approved by voters last November. Fish Wildlife and Parks will manage the land, which will bring additional hiking, swimming and fishing opportunities along the Clark Fork River.

“It’s a very good deal,” says Jackie Corday, the city’s Open Space Program Manager. [more]

obituary

Rudy Autio's legacy is tangible in his work, represented in his signature ceramics in public places and private collections around the globe. But beyond the art, he also leaves behind a vibrant community of Montana artists and thinkers that he, in no small way, helped raise.

“Rudy lived with wonderful dignity,” said Beth Lo, ceramics professor at the University of Montana and a former student. “He’s touched people deeply in many, many walks of life.”

Autio died Wednesday at his home in Missoula after a battle with leukemia. He was 80.

Born on Oct. 8, 1926 to Finnish immigrants, Autio’s father was miner and his mother worked as a cook. He learned to draw in depression era Butte, Montana and later, upon returning from navy service, earned a Bachelor’s degree in art from Montana State University. There he fell in love with ceramics and his wife, Lela. [more]

a link to reserve street

If all goes well, by next fall a new bicycle and pedestrian trail will link Central Missoula to Reserve Street, creating a safe passageway through a heavily congested part of Missoula.

Extending the Milwaukee Grade Trail, which now runs through central Missoula, farther west past Russell to Reserve along 3rd, and eventually out to Mullan, will give commuters a safe alternative to dodging cars on the way to work, says Dave Shaw, park and trail design manager for the city.

Many would-be commuters are afraid of city traffic, said Bob Giordano, director of the Missoula Institute for Sustainable Transportation. “I know for some people that’s the main barrier, lots of cars,” he said. [more]

Flyer Fight

Hang gliders have been flying off the top of Mt. Sentinel in Missoula for more than 30 years, helping cement the town's identity as an outdoor recreation paradise – but that came to at least a temporary end last fall after a close call between a glider and a commercial airliner. Now local hang gliders are engaged in a complicated argument with the University of Montana, the Forest Service and the tower chief at Missoula Airport as they try to regain the right to fly from the peak.

It all began last July when, according to Missoula Air Traffic Control tower chief Henry Barsotti, “a 50-passenger commercial aircraft took evasive action on final approach to miss a hang glider we didn’t know was up there.” Concerned about safety, Barsotti inquired with the University, which controls the space on top of Mt. Sentinel as well as the normal landing spot on the University golf course, and the Forest Service, which manages the road leading to the top.

Soon there was a new lock on the Forest Service road gate, a University-imposed moratorium on hang gliding – and a lot of angry hang gliders. [more]

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