Keith Blevins of the Charlo-Moiese Fire Department keeps an eye on the Communication Butte fire north of Dixon as it threatened the east side of the Flathead River and the Bison Range Sunday afternoon. (Kristi Niemeyer/Leader)
July 31, 2023
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August 3, 2023 midnight
Circle of fire: Four blazes fanned by high winds
The dry lightning that strode across western Montana Saturday night was bad enough, starting a line of fires from north of Dixon to Niarada. But when winds, reportedly gusting up to 40 mph, kicked up Sunday afternoon, fires that seemed manageable suddenly weren’t.