BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – New York Forest Rangers have been deployed to help fight fires out west.

A team of 20 Department of Environmental Conservation fire responders was sent to assist with containing wildfires raging in Montana.

One member of the Forest Rangers was also sent to a fire suppression crew in Oregon.

New York often sends teams to other states to fight fires. With 75 active wildfires burning more than 64,000 acres, the team of 20 aims to prevent any new fires from starting.

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A combination of fresh fire starts, and smoke pouring into the Northern Rockies from other states, is pushing air quality to some of the worst levels we’ve seen so far this summer.

While a change in the weather later this week, expected as high pressure shifts east, could bring winds to help clear skies, it’s also increasing the potential for “fire weather”, and problematic winds.

Conditions deteriorated to the point Monday, that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality alert for much of the state.

Missoula County Orders Evacuations for New Fire Start

New, smaller fires join the list of blazes in Montana

Air quality was already marginal over the weekend, but dropped in the Missoula area Monday morning with the outbreak of the new Butler Creek Fire.

Although largely a fast-moving fire because it involved grasslands, the new blaze forced evacuations, and had torched over 200 acres by last morning. That created more smoke which dropped air quality at most Missoula stations to “unhealthy for sensitive groups”, with a few registering “unhealthy” air for all residences.

Bad air statewide

By Monday afternoon, air quality had not improved. DEQ stations in Missoula, Frenchtown, and Hamilton were showing air “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” Other locations in Kalispell, and Northwest Montana had haze, but air quality remained “moderate.”

East of the Divide, Cutback, Chateau, and Helena had warnings of air being “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The worst air in the state is in the Great Falls area, and a few locations in the Helena Valley, where readings had hit “unhealthy”. That’s where the warnings apply to all people to limit their time outdoors and avoid exertion.

READ MORE; Fire Smoke Keeps Missoula on “Most Polluted Cities” List

Regional fire smoke not helping

EPA maps are showing smoke plumes coming into Montana from not only the fires burning in British Columbia, the Cascades, Eastern Washington, and Oregon but also from Alberta.

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) – The Montana Grizzlies have been picked by both the media and the Big Sky Conference to repeat as champions this season.

I spoke with Eric Taber, UM Athletic Director for football just after the announcement on Sunday that the Griz would repeat as conference champions.

The Montana Grizzlies have been Chosen to Repeat as Big Sky Conference Champions

“Certainly is a great tip of the hat from media members and other coaches from around the conference after what I described as just a magical football season last year,” began Taber. “But like we always say, it’s not the poll at the beginning of the season that matters; it’s the poll at the end of the season, and having the target on your back now is always a challenge, and we look forward to proving that we are the number one team in the conference once again.”

After an early road loss to Northern Arizona, the Grizzlies went on a tear with a 10-game win streak that sent them to Texas to face South Dakota State for the FCS National Championship.

Coach Hauck says Every Year is a Rebuilding Year

I asked Taber about Coach Hauck’s attitude toward each new season.

“That’s what college football coaches do,” he said “They reload every year, and I think that the Montana Grizzlies are no different. “We’re just really excited to see some of the faces that emerged last year, the Riley Wilsons, the Keelan Whites of the world, to see some of those guys really shine this year. And then, as always, there’s going to be somebody that impresses everybody that no one’s even heard their name before.”

Taber said having the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history is an amazing advantage.

Taber Emphasized that Hauck is the Winningest Coach in Big Sky History

“I think Coach Hauck didn’t become the winningest coach in Big Sky Conference history by accident,” he said. “I think our coaching staff is really dialed in. I think our players are really dialed in. And, you know, I think getting to that national championship last year just let everybody within the organization know that this is what it’s supposed to be. This is the expectation, and that’s what it takes to get there.”

Taber was also excited to have seven home games this season, giving the Griz a definite home-field advantage.

“It really is a great home-field advantage,” he said. “Having seven home games is a really big deal, and we’ve got some challenging teams coming in for the non-conference part of the season, and then some really great games down the stretch in the Big Sky portion of the season. So we’re going to need everybody there and looks like we’re on track to break another season ticket record this year, and we’re just going to need all the butts in the seats we possibly can get.”

READ MORE: College Football Playoff Changes Could Impact Griz

According to a press release from Eric Taber, “The Griz received all but two first-place votes in the coaches’ poll with 120 total points and 17 more first-place votes in the media poll than the runner-up with 442 points to lead each by a wide margin.”

Montana and Montana State finished 1 and 2 in both the coaches and media polls.

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