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Bobcat Lakes Fire (MT)

Active · 0% contained · 755 acres · started 2026-07-31 · updated 2026-08-03

Bobcat Lakes Fire (MT) — Sentinel-2 true color Bobcat Lakes Fire (MT) — Sentinel-2 SWIR (fuego) True color Fire (SWIR)
True color (left): as the eye sees it.
Infrared / SWIR (right): sees through smoke.

🟢 green = vegetation
🟤 red/brown = burned
🟠 orange = active fire

Imagery: Sentinel-2 (Copernicus). Drag to compare smoke vs. infrared.

Heat detections: NASA FIRMS (last 48h).

Quick facts

Location
12 Miles E from Wisdom, MT
Personnel
48
Complexity
Type 3 Incident
Fuel
Timber (Grass and Understory)
Behavior
Active, Torching, Crowning
Jurisdiction
USFS · Federal land

Burning through timber with grass and understory, the active Bobcat Lakes Fire near Wisdom, Montana, has consumed 755 acres since starting on July 2026-07-31. Driven by active, torching, and crowning fire behavior, the incident has averaged approximately 252 acres per day over its three days of burning. Satellites are picking up 37 heat signatures clustered nearby in the Beaverhead area, reflecting the spread of the federal incident managed by the USFS.

A Type 3 Incident with 48 personnel under a Type 3 IC management structure, the fire has accumulated 150,000 USD in costs while maintaining zero percent containment. The surrounding region experiences a typical fire season spanning from June to October. This event unfolds within a broader national context where 2,528,284 hectares have burned so far in 2026, tracking 54 percent below the two-decade average.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Montana for 3 days. So far it has affected roughly 755 acres — about 3.1 km². Crews report no containment yet, so the fire can still spread.

In the Northern Hemisphere, wildfire activity usually peaks during the warm, dry months — roughly May through October.

The bigger picture in United States

Across United States, roughly 2,528,284 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 54% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

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