Forest Fire Near Butte Starts the Season

A forest fire about 4 miles southeast of Butte is burning in heavy, standing dead timber.

The Dillon Interagency Dispatch Center reported the size of the Blacktail Canyon Fire Wednesday afternoon at between 4 to 5 acres with one structure threatened.

The fire was reported about 2 p.m. and five wildland fire engines and three structure engines from the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest and Butte-Silverbow City-County were sent to the scene with a request for the Helena Hotshot firefighting crew.

Officials were worried about the high winds, gusting to 43 miles an hour.