Jonathan Ambarian

HELENA (KPAX) — With emergency crews already responding to wildfires in western Montana, authorities say they’re getting ready for what could be a more active fire season in the state.

“It’s got some challenges forthcoming,” said Dan Borsum, a federal Predictive Services meteorologist for the Northern Rockies Geographic Area.

State, federal and local leaders gathered in Helena Monday for Gov. Greg Gianforte’s annual fire season briefing. It was held at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation’s Fire Aviation Support Facility – where several of the helicopters stored there over the winter were already gone, fighting the Banana Lake Fire near Plains .

Borsum said, in light of lingering drought in western Montana, signs that July and August could b

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