Bobcat Lakes Fire

Perimeter mapped September 13, 2026 at 8:24 PM MDT, 10,896 acres (mixed methods). Point of origin 45.637, -113.204.

Live radar at the fire Forecast for Anaconda

Size

10,896 acres

Containment

72%

Discovered

July 31, 2026 at 2:39 PM MDT

Cause

Undetermined

Location

12 Miles E from Wisdom, MT

County

Beaverhead County

State

Montana

Nearest city reported

Wisdom

Protecting agency

USFS

Jurisdiction

USFS

Land ownership at origin

USFS

Personnel assigned

2

Incident management

Type 3 IC, Type 3 Incident

Primary fuel

Timber (Grass and Understory)

Estimated cost to date

$16,675,125

Incident type

Wildfire

Unique fire identifier

2026-MTBDF-266313

IRWIN identifier

801A448C-B5B4-4DCC-BAE2-CEF8FEDBB2A6

Mapped area at the last perimeter of each day, from August 1, 2026 (224 acres) to September 14, 2026 (10,896 acres). The largest one-day growth was 2,103 acres, mapped August 7, 2026.

• Wind up to 6 mph from the north-northwest
• Relative humidity as low as 43%
• High of 55°F

National Weather Service hourly forecast for the fire’s point of origin, next 24 hours.

Full forecast for Anaconda, MT

Red Flag Warnings and Fire Weather Watches covering the fire's point of origin.

No Red Flag Warning or Fire Weather Watch is in force at the fire.

NOAA’s Hazard Mapping System analysts have not drawn smoke over the fire’s origin today.

NOAA’s smoke model forecasts near-surface smoke at the origin peaking at 0.3 µg/m³ around Sun, 10:00 AM MDT over the next 48 hours.

Smoke and fire layers on the radar

Posted on InciWeb, updated September 20, 2026.

The Bobcat Lakes Fire was discovered burning in thick dead and down timber approximately 12 miles east of Wisdom. A full suppression strategy is being utilized with direct and indirect tactics strategies to minimize impacts to values at risk and firefighter exposure. Firefighters remain engaged in places where the fire perimeter isn’t yet contained. Suppression repair continues along contingency lines in already-contained areas. To protect firefighter and public safety, closures persist while suppression and suppression repair operations are ongoing. The Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway remains closed. Area closures surrounding the Bobcat Lakes and Sand Creek Fires remain in effect to safeguard public welfare, provide access for emergency personnel and equipment, and facilitate safe fire suppression and repair operations. See Closures or more details.

Original at InciWeb

• Anaconda, MT36 miles north of the fire’s origin
• Dillon, MT40 miles southeast of the fire’s origin
• Butte, MT41 miles northeast of the fire’s origin
• Warm Springs, MT43 miles northeast of the fire’s origin
• Salmon, ID46 miles southwest of the fire’s origin
• Whitehall, MT56 miles east of the fire’s origin