Fire Watch

Montana firefighting costs near $50 million

Posted: Aug 14, 2012 4:39 AM by MTN News
Updated: Aug 14, 2012 7:23 AM

MISSOULA - The cost of fighting Montana's major wildfires this year is nearing the 50-million dollar benchmark.

While human activity has caused one fourth of all the fires, lightning is the main culprit for this year's fire starts.The News Station's Dennis Bragg reports.

Among the most expensive fires so far this season, the Ash Creek Fire in southeastern Montana at $7.5 million, and the Rosebud Complex of fires at $7.9 million.

But according to the Northern Rockies Coordination Center, topping the list of most expensive fires to fight has been the 25-hundred acre Chrandal Creek wildfire, burning along the Bitteroot divide near the Montana/Idaho border.

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Topics: Billings, KTVQ, firefighting, costs, 2012