News

While the major wildfires in Montana are now under control, drought remains high on the minds of government officials. Following the June 30 release of the Summer 2021 Drought Forecast Report, Governor Greg Gianforte on July 1 declared a statewide drought emergency, calling on the USDA to declare Montana a drought disaster area.

Whether you’re a large contractor with job sites throughout Madison County or a homeowner who’s trying to build a house for your young family while staying within budget, it’s the same frustration: building costs have soared, supply has dwindled and it’s hard to plan for the future.

Commuters take note: road improvement work is coming soon to the three-mile stretch of Jack Creek Road managed by Madison County.

Lightning strikes courtesy of a storm that blew in Wednesday evening in the Madison Valley started three small fires in the Madison and Gravelly Ranges.

Trout fisheries are below 20-year averages in the upper reaches of the Madison River and at Hebgen Reservoir. While Hebgen and Madison dams work in part to mitigate temperatures and maintain flows, an already hot summer heightens concern for the forests and the fish.

We’re not one to toot our own horn, but here at The Madisonian we know when to make an exception. We and our sister paper, the Lone Peak Lookout, recently stood out from the crowd at the annual Montana Newspaper Association Better Newspaper Contest, taking home a combined 17 awards for our 2020 stories, ads and design.

Full fishing closures lifted on May 25 were reinstated on June 16 for the Ruby River from its confluence with the Beaverhead River near Twin Bridges to Duncan District Road crossing outside of Sheridan.

Cooler temps, higher humidity and – gasp – even a bit of rainfall on Father’s Day were a boon for teams fighting wildfires in Montana. The reprieve was likely a short one though, as another hot, dry weather pattern is set to return this week.