Heat brings red flag fire warnings to the region

High temperatures and gusty winds are bringing fire warnings to north-central Montana.

National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for today running from Glacier County down to the Butte and Bozeman regions and running east to parts of Valley County.

“Any spark, man-made or nature-caused, may cause new fire starts,” the warning reads.

Heat roasting much of the United States crept into north-central Montana this week, with the high recorded for Havre at the City-County Airport 92 degrees Monday and 99 degrees Tuesday.

With the winds, low humidity and drying conditions,

“Finer fuels such as grasses and twigs have become fairly dry recently, so the drier and windy conditions will cause elevated fire danger for grassland areas, mainly below 6,000 feet in elevation,” the warning reads. “Please use extra caution with machinery and towing chains because any spark could ignite a wildfire.”

Weather Service does not predict any significant rainfall in the region through Tuesday.

Some rain came through over the weekend with .2 inches recorded at the Havre station Tuesday and .11 inches recorded Saturday during the Great Northern Fair, but the region is still far short of normal.

Havre recorded .47 inches of precipitation for the month through Tuesday, far short of its normal amount of 1.34 inches for July 23.

Rain at the end of June helped bring the precipitation measured for the year back up, but the dry July has dropped that below normal.

Weather Service reports Havre is just below the normal level of precipitation for the calendar year, 7.19 inches instead of 7.26 inches.

For the water year, measured from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, the measured amount is further behind. The normal amount for the water year on July 23 is 8.67 inches; this year Havre has seen 8.16 inches.

Weather Service reports a cold front is expected to move through the region today, bringing gusty winds and drier air, with relative humidity expected to be 15 percent to 25 percent.

The Weather Service warning says people can follow the National Weather Service Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSGreatFalls/, Twitter account at https://twitter.com/NWSGreatFalls or visit its website at https://www.weather.gov/tfx for updates.

The Weather Service forecast through next Tuesday calls for slightly cooler high temperatures, with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s today through Saturday, and highs mainly in the mid to upper 80s, and even a few predicted highs for the region in the upper 70s, Sunday through Tuesday.

Even with the slightly cooler temperatures, officials warn people to take care during hot temperatures.

A notice from Weather Service earlier this month warned that risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke increases with warmer temperatures, saying hyperthermia — the body absorbing more heat than it can handle — can occur on a mild day with temperatures in the 70s.

This is especially true for people or animals left in cars.

“It is never safe to leave a toddler, disabled person or pet locked in a car,” the Weather Service notice said. 

“Each year, dozens of children and untold numbers of pets left in parked vehicles die from hyperthermia,” it added.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives tips on avoiding problems from the heat.

• “Never leave infants, children or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open.”

• “Choose lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing.”

• “Stay in an air-conditioned place as much as possible. If your home does not have air conditioning, go to the shopping mall or public library — even a few hours spent in air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.”

• “Electric fans may provide comfort, but when the temperature is in the high 90s, they will not prevent heat-related illness. Taking a cool shower or bath or moving to an air-conditioned place is a much better way to cool off. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.

• “Try to limit your outdoor activity to when it’s coolest, like morning and evening hours. Rest often in shady areas so that your body has a chance to recover.”

• “Cut down on exercise during the heat. If you’re not accustomed to working or exercising in a hot environment, start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. If exertion in the heat makes your heart pound and leaves you gasping for breath, STOP all activity. Get into a cool area or into the shade, and rest, especially if you become lightheaded, confused, weak, or faint.”

• “Sunburn affects your body’s ability to cool down and can make you dehydrated. If you must go outdoors, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher 30 minutes prior to going out. Continue to reapply it according to the package directions.”

• “Avoid hot and heavy meals: They add heat to your body.”

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Online: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Extreme Heat page: https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/index.html/