Potato Butte Fire, Montana
Potato Butte is a wildfire currently listed in Montana, United States, with an estimated burned area of 52 acres (21 hectares); agencies listed it as Uncontained.
Activity & map
Timeline, Map & Situation
Timeline
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Size reported at approximately 52 acres (21.2 ha)
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Status: Uncontained
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Fire discovery / ignition reported
Map
45.3350, -104.5323
Current Situation
Potato Butte is a wildfire currently listed in Montana, United States, with an estimated burned area of 52 acres (21 hectares); agencies listed it as Uncontained.
The fire was last updated 19 minutes ago by agency reporting systems.
Smoke layers do not currently show a clear plume at the fire site. There are 8 other active fires within about 113 km.
Growth Trend
Agency-reported size for Potato Butte Fire, Montana · 2 samples. Hover a point for exact size.
Environment
Current Conditions
Current Conditions
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Smoke
Layer analysis: Regional PM2.5 forecast haze is active on the live map; point density at this fire is not classified from plume polygons.
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Nearby & Resources
Nearby Fires
View on MapRoad Closures
No full road closures reported within about 25 mi right now.
Nearby Communities
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Largest Fires in Montana
Community
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Insight
Why This Fire Matters
- One of the 10 largest active fires in Montana (currently ranked #9 among tracked incidents in this area).
- Natural ignition.
- Fire has remained active for 4 days.
Technical Incident Details
| Fire Name | Potato Butte |
|---|---|
| Agency Fire ID | 2026-MTLG42-000548 |
| Country | United States |
| Province / State | Montana |
| Location | Carter |
| Latitude | 45.33496 |
| Longitude | -104.53226 |
| Last Updated | Jul 28, 2026, 2:21 AM PDT |
| Current Status | Uncontained |
| Tracking | Actively tracked |
| Acres Burned | 52 ac |
| Containment % | — |
| Cause | Natural |
| Nearby towns | Loading… |
| Discovery Date | Jul 23, 2026, 3:10 PM PDT |
| Fire Type | OC |
| Data Source | nifc-wfigs |
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is the current size of this fire?
The Potato Butte Fire is currently reported at approximately 52 acres (21 hectares).
Where is this fire located?
The Potato Butte Fire is located in Montana, United States at approximately 45.3350, -104.5323.
Is this fire contained?
Agencies classify this fire as Uncontained. A numeric containment percentage is not available in the current feed.
When was it discovered?
Discovery (or first listed date) is recorded as 2026-07-23.
Is smoke affecting nearby communities?
No smoke plume is currently mapped near this fire in the smoke analysis layer.
What towns are near this fire?
No nearby towns were identified within about 50 km of this incident.
How many nearby fires are active?
There are 8 other active wildfires nearby.
What are current weather conditions?
Weather observations are unavailable for this location right now.
Is this fire still actively tracked?
This fire is actively tracked (last update 19 minutes ago).