Here are some facts about the Robertson Draw Fire south of Red Lodge as of Friday, June 18.

Three fires are continuing to cause concern.

This year the county commissioners should act, and unless there is some significant weather change, ban fireworks county-wide. The risk is too great.

Bottom line up front: "There are still no plans to evacuate the city of Red Lodge." -US Forest Service Public Information Officer Billy Chapman.

A Montana DNRC helicopter went down near Townsend, but all crew members are reportedly safe thanks to the quick actions of law enforcement and a DNRC employee.

Yesterday, after 105 degrees and virtually two and a half months without any real precipitation, I sat down in my shop and for the first time in my life felt a sense of hopelessness.

Are you prepared with an escape plan knowing you only have two minutes to get out? Two minutes that's it.

Wednesday (9/4) could be the hottest day of the year in Billings. Some forecasts predict it could hit 103 in the Magic City, with no chance of rain. High wind gusts are also likely on Wednesday making conditions perfect for wildfires.

Obviously they cause death and destruction for the immediately affected area, but for people who have asthma or other respiratory conditions, they can cause serious breathing problems even for those hundreds of miles away from the flames. I have someone in my family whose asthma can be a real problem and there were many days last year where she simply had to stay indoors because the air quality was so poor.

Warm, windy conditions over the weekend fanned wildfires that are burning in the Western, Central and even Eastern part of Montana, filling the air with smoke which left some Billings residents reaching for facial masks. “Air quality in Yellowstone County has ranged from unhealthy for sensitive groups to very unhealthy over the past two weeks,” John Felton, Yellowstone County Health Officer, said