East Valley Rural Fire District

09/24/2026

🔥 SEEING SMOKE OR FIRE NEAR YORK / EAST OF HELENA?

The Kelly Gulch Prescribed Burn is the one many folks in our area are seeing today.

The Helena Ranger District is conducting the planned Kelly Gulch prescribed burn, approximately 955 acres just east of York, as part of the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest’s prescribed fire operations.

🔥 This is a planned prescribed burn.
💨 Smoke is very visible from a large portion of the Helena Valley and surrounding areas.

There are also several other prescribed burns planned around the region Sept. 23–25. We’re sharing the Forest Service information below so everyone knows what’s happening and where the smoke is coming from.

As always, if you see a fire or smoke that appears to be OUTSIDE the prescribed burn area, threatening structures, or otherwise looks like an emergency, call 911. Please do not call in the prescribed burn. Crews are there and monitoring it closely, the calls simply overwhelm dispatch.

And yes — we see it too. 😉🔥

👇 Original information and maps below.

Upcoming prescribed burns - Sept. 23-25, 2026

Fire personnel on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest are looking at several opportunities to conduct prescribed burns this week:

🔥Lincoln Ranger District (Dalton Prescribed Burn): Fire personnel are looking to burn ~70 acres just south of Lincoln in two nearby units in the Dalton Mountain area. Work is planned to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

🔥Helena Ranger District (Kelly Gulch and Beartrap Gulch prescribed burns): Fire personnel are looking at the opportunity to burn two units just east of York. The Kelly Gulch unit is 955 acres and currently planned for Thursday, Sept. 24, the Beartrap Gulch Unit is 820 acres and currently planned for this Friday, Sept. 25.

🔥Townsend Ranger District (Bonanza Ridge Prescribed Burn): Fire personnel are looking at the opportunity to burn ~500 acres on Bonanza Ridge, near the south end of the Elkhorn Mountains this Thursday and Friday (Sept. 24-25).

Maps available on Inciweb: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/mthlf-helenalewis-and-clark-nf-rx-fires

West Valley Fire Rescue
Lewis and Clark County / City of Helena 911 Center
City of Helena, Local Government
Montana DNRC
Jefferson County Montana Sheriff's Office
Lincoln Volunteer Fire Rescue

09/19/2026

Hey look!! 👀 We know that guy!

Firefighter Jacob Ricciardi was the first to spot our very own Assistant Chief Wayne Noem making an appearance on the Forest Service page! 🚒🌲

We appreciate everything Wayne does for East Valley—from helping keep the department running to keeping the trucks flowing through the area… and occasionally keeping the rest of us pointed in the right direction. 😂

He does a whole lot behind the scenes without much fanfare, so naturally, the second Jacob spotted him in the wild, we had to make sure everyone else saw it too. 😏

Thanks for all you do, Wayne! We’re pretty darn lucky to have you. ❤️🚒

09/16/2026

🔥 FYI — BURN NOTICE STARTING TODAY

The Forest Service is putting out some really great resources this year for notifications, updates, and public education, so we’ll continue to share those as they come out.

We will likely see and smell some smoke in our district from this burn, so don’t be surprised if things look a little hazy.

Check out the information below for details on today’s burn and keep an eye on their updates for the latest information.

The Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest has information in the community about the planned 550-acre broadcast Bear Gulch burn on Wednesday, September 16th, and Thursday, September 17, 2026.

Informational signs are available at Costco, Walmart, and Safeway grocery stores. Informational signs are also available at the Helena Post Offices, downtown Library, Helena Ranger District Office, and Park Avenue Bakery.

Public Information Officers will be available for in-person questions at the Safeway and Capitol building on Wednesday and Thursday from 11:30 am to 1 pm and the Walking Mall from 4 pm to 6 pm.

Questions can also be directed to the front desk at the Helena District Ranger Office by phone from 8 am to 4:30 pm at 406-449-5201.

Laminated QR codes sharing fire information are posted at the surrounding trailheads. This QR code will take you to a Link Tree where current and future fire information can be found.
https://linktr.ee/hlcfireinformation

West Valley Fire Rescue

09/11/2026

Important notice 🔥
Be sure you have a burn permit and it is activated.

08/21/2026

Nice work by all departments today! 👏🔥

A great reminder for everyone to keep your property defensible. The work you do around your home and property before a fire ever starts can make a huge difference in helping firefighters keep things under control.

Crews had some great work going on this incident, and things were progressing well enough that some of our East Valley equipment was able to turn back toward our district before it ever really got away from home.

Great teamwork, great communication, and a job well done by everyone involved. Thanks for having us—we’re always happy to lend a hand to our neighbors! 🚒

The wildland fire at the corner of Lone Pine and Jaybird has been extinguished. It burned 2.4 acres before being stopped.

Many thanks to our volunteers and our mutual aid partners, West Valley Fire, East Valley Fire, the DNRC, and VA Fire for coming out and lending a hand.

Tall grass and a light wind carried this fire up against Jaybird Rd. If you haven't already, now is the time to knock down tall grass around your property and remove flammable materials from around and against structures.

08/10/2026

🚗🫧 CAR WASH THIS SATURDAY! 🫧🚗

Come out and support the East Helena Vigilantes Girls Flag Football Team as they take over the fire station for a car wash fundraiser!

📅 Saturday, August 15
⏰ 10 AM – 3 PM
📍 2694 Valley Dr., East Helena

Bring down your dirty car, support these athletes, and grab a hot dog lunch while you wait! Every donation helps the team get out there, play hard, and represent East Helena. 🏈

🚒 And since you’ll already be at the fire station… feel free to say hello to some of your local firefighters, check out the station and apparatus, and learn a little about what we do. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to serve your community as a volunteer firefighter, we’re always happy to talk or just come meet the crew.

But most importantly, come hungry, bring a dirty vehicle, and help us pack the station for these girls!

🏈 Go Vigilantes!
🚒 See you Saturday!

Please share and help us spread the word!

07/22/2026

Last night, members of our Fire Department spent time training on water rescue operations. While we hope we never have to use those skills, training is essential so we're prepared when someone needs help.

With warm weather here, we'd like to remind everyone to stay safe around the creeks, drainage ditches, and other waterways throughout our district.

Water can be much more dangerous than it appears. Even shallow creeks can have strong currents, slippery banks, hidden holes, debris, and rapidly changing water levels—especially after rainfall. Drainage ditches can also become fast-moving and extremely hazardous.

A few simple safety reminders:
🚒 Never swim alone.
💧 Keep children within arm's reach near the water.
🌧️ Stay out of creeks after heavy rain.
🚗 Never drive through flooded roads—**Turn Around, Don't Drown®**.
❌ Stay out of irrigation ditches
🦺 Wear a properly fitted life jacket when boating, kayaking, or fishing.
📞 If someone is in trouble in the water, call 911 immediately. Don't jump in after them. If possible, throw them something that floats or extend a long object while waiting for emergency responders.

The best water rescue is the one that never has to happen. A little caution can prevent a tragedy.

Stay safe!

07/13/2026

Whats the saying?? If you don't like the weather in Montana... just wait a few minutes!

After several days of intense heat, we're now under a Flood Advisory with thunderstorms, rain, and lightning expected across the Helena area. It's a good reminder of just how quickly conditions can change this time of year.

We were fortunate to have a safe and successful Fourth of July with very little fire activity, and we want to thank everyone who celebrated responsibly. Your efforts helped keep our community safe.

Even with the rain, don't let your guard down. Fire danger remains elevated, and once things dry out, it won't take long for conditions to become favorable for wildfires again.

As the storms move through:
🌧️ Never drive through flooded roadways. Turn Around, Don't Drown.
⚡ When thunder roars, go indoors. Lightning can strike well away from the storm.
🌬️ Be prepared for strong winds, heavy rain, and rapidly changing conditions.

Our volunteers are monitoring the weather and stand ready to respond if needed.

If you experience a weather-related emergency—such as flooding that threatens life or property, downed power lines creating an immediate hazard, a lightning strike causing a fire, or someone in need of urgent rescue—don't hesitate to call 911. If it's not an emergency, report non-urgent issues to the appropriate utility or local agency so 911 remains available for those who need it most.

Stay weather-aware, stay safe, and please look out for your neighbors.

06/30/2026

🇺🇸 Happy Fourth of July from your local volunteer firefighters! 🇺🇸

Before we get to the explosions…

We’d like to pause and remember the three firefighters who lost their lives and the two who were seriously injured in the recent Colorado wildfire burn over event. Emily Barker, Nick Hutcherson and Sydney Watson answered the call knowing the risks and made the ultimate sacrifice. Please keep their families, friends, and fellow firefighters in your thoughts this holiday. Honor them by making good decisions so everyone gets to go home.

🔥 Burning Restrictions Begin July 1

As of July 1, open burning in Lewis and Clark County is closed.

Translation: If you’re thinking, “It’ll probably be fine…”—it’s probably not.

The grass is going to dry out, the wind is unpredictable, it doesn’t take much this time of year to have a huge problem from a small mistake.

🎆 Fireworks

We know…
“Hold my beer” is not an approved ignition source.

If you’re lighting fireworks:
💥 Keep them away from dry grass.
💥 Keep a hose or water nearby.
💥 Soak them before throwing them away.
💥 If the firework lands somewhere you have to say, “Uh oh…” you’ve already made a poor choice.

📞 When to Call 911

✅ Call 911 if:
🚒 A fire is spreading.
🚑 Someone is seriously injured or having a medical emergency.
🚗 There’s a serious crash.
⚠️ There is an immediate danger to life or property.

❌ Please don’t call 911 to ask:
• “Can I burn today?”
• “Are fireworks legal?”
• “Can you tell my neighbor to stop lighting off fireworks?”
• “My cousin lost an eyebrow…”

Dispatchers are there for emergencies. Help keep the lines open for people who truly need them.

🇺🇸 Celebrate. Eat too much. Watch the fireworks.

Just don’t become the fireworks.

From all of us at East Valley fire department, have a safe, fun, and memorable Fourth of July. We love to wave at you— just not from your driveway at 2:00 a.m. 🚒

05/24/2026

Heads up! You will see increased smoke again in the area of the Jericho Fire. 👀 Please make sure it’s a new start in the area before calling it in!