Montana faces wildfire conditions on long weekend

BUTTE (AP) — Montana firefighters struggled Saturday with 19 active wildfires as the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for a weekend of lightning and high temperatures that could spark more blazes.

AP Photo/Madison County Disaster & Emergency Services, Steve DiGiovanna

A firefighter stands ready at the 19 mile fire,between Madison County and Butte. Rapidly expanding wildfires across a broad swath of southern Montana have caused injuries and burned homes, buildings and vehicles, authorities said Thursday, as firefighters struggled to contain the flames amid hazardous conditions.

One of the more worrisome fires appeared to be the 19 Mile Fire that on Saturday was mapped at about 6.5 square miles and threatening several hundred homes about 10 miles southeast of Butte.

Fire spokesman Jack Conner says the fire that started Aug. 28 has destroyed 14 homes, a camp trailer, and numerous cars, trucks and all-terrain vehicles.

The Montana Standard reports that a resident in the area who sustained burns on his hands and arms on Wednesday was listed in fair condition at the University of Utah Health Care Burn Center in Salt Lake City.