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Snow Fire (Montana)

Active · 97% contained · 14,056 acres · started 2026-09-03 · updated 2026-09-08

Snow Fire (Montana) — Sentinel-2 true color Snow Fire (Montana) — 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
30 Miles E from Miles City, MT
Complex
Rattlesnake Complex
Cause
Natural
Personnel
109
Complexity
Type 3 Incident
Fuel
Timber (Grass and Understory)
Behavior
Active, Spotting, Torching
Jurisdiction
DNRC · State land

Burning for five days at an average daily growth of approximately 2,811 acres, the 14,056-acre Snow Fire in Custer County, Montana, is currently 97 percent contained while remaining active 30 miles east of Miles City. State land managed by the DNRC features timber, grass, and understory fuel where fire behavior includes active burning, spotting, and torching. A Type 3 Incident managed by a Type 3 Team involves 109 personnel working to suppress the natural-caused blaze, which has accumulated $3,157,000 in costs.

Nationwide, the broader environmental context shows 3,186,142 hectares burned so far in 2026, marking a figure 42 percent below the two-decade average during a typical fire season that stretches from June to October.

In context

This wildfire has been burning in Montana for 5 days. So far it has affected roughly 14,056 acres — about 57 km². At 97% containment, the fire is nearly under control.

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 3,188,211 hectares have burned so far in 2026 — 42% below the two-decade average. Data from Copernicus GWIS.

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