https://www.montanarightnow.com/helena/matt-staff-fire-1-587-acres-large-38-contained/article_e833e328-143e-11ed-8ba5-ab4a37e14bc7.html

 https://www.ktvh.com/news/fire-watch/cooler-temperatures-rain-help-fire-crews-make-progress-on-matt-staff-fire

 https://helenair.com/matt-staff-road-fire-burned-area/image_cf1800f9-bec3-5a44-bfe7-50d58607e630.html

 https://helenair.com/news/local/matt-staff-road-fire-near-helena-now-1-587-acres-38-contained/article_a90fb97f-c918-51af-a915-1ce9917ee8a9.html

 https://nbcmontana.com/news/local/matt-staff-fire-slows-growth-now-at-1578-

 https://www.mtpr.org/montana-news/2022-08-05/firefighters-make-progress-on-matt-staff-elmo-fires

 https://www.ktvh.com/news/montana-dnrc-team-takes-over-management-of-matt-staff-fire

   https://www.montanarightnow.com/helena/news/matt-staff-fire-smoke-begins-to-clear-as-containment-efforts-continue/article_99eae508-153e-11ed-aa06-3bc44564504e.html

 Overview: 
    
Yesterday, rainy and cooler weather significantly decreased fire activity over much of the area. Moist monsoonal air continues to bring rain and thunderstorms through the weekend. Warmer and drier air is pushing eastward, which may increase fire activity in the next few days. 
   
Crews remain to monitor fire activity and respond to new starts. Monitoring is an important function, as the Woodtick Fire still has potential to spread. At the Meyers Cove and Camas Creek area, equipment and supplies are staged if needed for future structure protection actions. For the Norton Fire, fire managers continue to monitor fire activity remotely using cameras, and crews will respond if fire behavior calls for action. 
    
Fire camps were consolidated yesterday, and resources continue to demobilize from the Woodtick Fire. The nation is at Preparedness Level 3, which means that two or more geographic areas in the country are experiencing significant wildland fire activity that require extensive resources. This also means that up to 8,000 wildland fire personnel are committed to incidents across the country. Demobilizing allows firefighters time for rest and resupply before the next assignment. Preparedness levels are also determined by fuel and weather activity. This week’s forecast may result in more potential fire weather: hot and dry.
    
Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR): A TFRs remain in effect over both fire areas. More information can be found on the Federal Aviation Administration website at: https://tfr.faa.gov 
    
Evacuations for Woodtick: Evacuation orders issued by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office remain in effect for residents at Camas Creek.  For more information, go to : https://bit.ly/LemhiCountyEvacs 
     
Closures: Two closures remain in effect on the Woodtick Fire. To view the orders in their entirety and other information regarding the fires, please refer to: https://bit.ly/WoodtickFireClosure 

Overview: Yesterday, the fire areas experienced thunderstorms in the afternoon, receiving a good amount of precipitation, with 0.28 inches recorded in the Woodtick Fire area. Showers and thunderstorms continue to be anticipated throughout the weekend as a very moist monsoonal flow will bring wetting rains, significantly decreasing fire behavior. Fire behavior was minimal, and although both fires have received and expect moisture throughout the weekend, these showers will not entirely extinguish the fire. Even though wet conditions are present, fire still has the potential to spread. It will stay active in isolated spots around the uncontrolled fire edge, especially in areas where dry pockets of fuel under canopy cover shelters from moisture. It will take a season-ending event to extinguish these fires entirely. This event includes sustained lower temperatures, shorter burning periods, increased relative humidity, shorter sunlight duration, and significant moisture.As fire activity results in a slow rate of spread and low intensity, it provides ecological benefits by removing low-growing underbrush, cleaning the forest floor of debris, opening the canopy to sunlight, and nourishing the soil. This will reduce competition for nutrients allowing established trees to grow stronger and healthier and reducing fuels that cause a high-intensity fire. However, structure protection remains the primary focus for both fires, and fire managers continue to monitor fire activity and look for opportunities to take action if needed.