High fire danger across Montana as heat sets in for weekend

GLASGOW, Mont. (AP) — Authorities warned of high wildfire danger across much of Montana on Thursday as temperatures were forecast to approach the triple digits with heavy winds in some areas.

The start of September will bring heat at near record levels and it will linger through Labor Day weekend, the National Weather Service said.

Central and and northeastern Montana from Great Falls to the North Dakota border were under a red flag warning through midnight.

Winds gusts up to 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) and highs near 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 Celsius) were forecast. That means any spark could cause a new wildfire, forecasters in Great Falls said.

August had the highest monthly average temperatures ever recorded in Helena and Belgrade, the weather service said.