A visitor reported a second fire south of the Soda Butte formation in Lamar Valley on Monday. The Soda fire was suppressed shortly afterward.

Meanwhile, near Sheridan, the Old Baldy fire has burned around 130 acres of subalpine fir and lodgepole pine trees in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

The area in the western Tobacco Roots from Mill Creek Road (Forest Service Road 111) north to Boulder Creek Road (Forest Service Road 1007) is closed to the general public until an order to open the area is issued.

Amy Baumer, a fire spokesperson, said access points in the closure area of the Tobacco Roots are one-way in and out, meaning if the fire were to spread, people caught on the roads could be trapped.

Three Type 1 Crews, four helicopters, 11 firefighters from the Forest Service’s Madison Ranger District and 15 smokejumpers have responded to the Old Baldy blaze. Another crew from northern Idaho was expected to arrive Wednesday, according to Baumer.

Baumer said favorable winds and lower temperatures have helped firefighters keep the blaze from spreading rapidly. The fire’s size did not increase Tuesday.

The National Weather Service predicted Wednesday will be the warmest day of the week, with temperatures in Sheridan reaching almost 90 degrees. Thunderstorms could form into Thursday morning. Forecasters predict thunderstorms could produce gusty winds and hail Thursday afternoon.

Baumer said weather conditions Wednesday were expected to be generally favorable. However, thunderstorms could contribute to the fire.

Crews Wednesday addressed spot fires and worked with helicopters to try and hold the fire on the east side.

The National Interagency Fire Center predicts western Montana will see above normal wildland fire potential in August and September. Conditions are expected to return to normal past mid-September.

Abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions were predicted for southwestern Montana this summer, according to a June 9 report from the National Drought Mitigation Center. Rain in June and July brought some relief.

Fire danger is listed as high in Yellowstone National Park. Fire danger in the region is listed as moderate on the Bozeman Interagency Dispatch Center’s website.

Bozeman was one of three areas in Montana facing moderate air quality conditions on Wednesday, according to the Department of Environmental Quality. Apart from Thompson Falls and Seeley Lake, the rest of the state’s air quality is good.

The DEQ recommends that in moderate air quality conditions, “unusually sensitive people” should consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

Wildfire smoke can increase susceptibility to respiratory infections, including COVID-19, officials from DEQ and the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services wrote in a news release Monday.

Children, seniors, pregnant women, outdoor workers and people with chronic health conditions are particularly vulnerable to smoke, according to the release. Cloth face masks are not effective at preventing wildfire smoke from reaching the lungs, so the agencies recommend that people stay indoors as much as possible during heavy smoke conditions.

“This year, knowing the impacts of COVID-19 on the respiratory system, it’s especially important to pay attention to air quality and keep your lungs healthy,” said Jon Ebelt, a Montana DPHHS spokesperson.

DPHHS and DEQ are encouraging people to check for air quality updates and advisories, pay attention to visibility, limit outdoor activities and keep all windows and doors shut when air quality is unhealthy. They’re also recommending that people make sure air conditioning units are circulating indoor air and regularly check coronavirus numbers.