Moose Fire (MT)
True color
Fire (SWIR)
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
- 24 Miles SW from Philipsburg, MT
- Personnel
- 172
- Complexity
- Type 3 Incident
- Fuel
- Timber (Grass and Understory)
- Behavior
- Moderate, Flanking, Backing, Torching
- Jurisdiction
- USFS · Federal land
Burning across 5,965 acres of federal timber and understory in Granite County, Montana, the active Moose Fire has maintained an average daily growth of approximately 229 acres per day over its 26 days of burning. Located 24 miles southwest of Philipsburg, the Type 3 incident is currently exhibiting moderate fire behavior, characterized by backing, creeping, and group torching in the timber fuels.
A total of 118 personnel operating under a Type 3 Incident Commander and the USFS have containment at 6 percent, with suppression costs reaching $7,198,311.61 since the fire started on July 26, 2026. This incident unfolds during the region's typical fire season, which runs from June to October. Nationally, the broader context shows 2,970,412 hectares burned so far in 2026, tracking 46 percent below the two-decade average.
In context
This wildfire has been burning in Montana for 27 days. So far it has affected roughly 5,965 acres — about 24 km². Crews have contained 6% of the perimeter, but most of the fire line is still open.
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 2,970,412 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 46% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.
We'll email you if it grows, containment advances, or it ends.
No account. One-click unsubscribe. · Privacy
Community reports
Reports from people near the fire · unverified
Not official emergency information. In an emergency, contact fire services/authorities.
More fires in Montana
- Valley FireEnded
- Windmill FireActive
- Deer Creek FireActive
- Tongue FireEnded
- Tongue FireActive
- Big Buffalo FireEnded