Two small wildfires near Missoula contained

Firefighters contained two small wildfires near Missoula that started Thursday night and Friday morning, with one drenched using a helicopter.

Local dispatch reported the Hellgate fire at around 8 p.m. on Thursday, while the Mitten fire was found at 10 a.m. on Friday.

A smoke plume rises from a small forest fire on the north side of University Mountain on Friday, Aug. 16, near East Missoula.

SHANNA MADISON, Missoulian

Both were contained by 2:30 p.m., according to local dispatch reports. Neither fire expanded to more than a tenth of an acre.

One helicopter unloaded buckets of water onto the Hellgate fire on Friday afternoon, which burned on the north side of University Mountain and roughly 2 miles from Missoula.

A helicopter drops water on a fire located on the north side of University Mountain on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024.

SHANNA MADISON, Missoulian

The fire was sparked by lightning, according to Lolo National Forest. Smoke can be visible from Interstate 90, Madison Street Bridge

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