MISSOULA — Crews battled a wildland fire in Missoula's North Hills near the Republic Services landfill on Saturday evening.
The Missoula Rural Fire District (MRFD), the Missoula Fire Department, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) responded to an area north of 1500 Spurlock Road at approximately 5:55 p.m.
Missoula County 911 received several reports of a fire spreading, but the exact location of the blaze was not clear, and crews had to approach from several different directions, according to MRFD Battalion Chief Ron Lubke.
Several homeowners in the area provided access points to fire crews in an attempt to reach the fire.
Crews found a fire burning in light "flashy fuels" that had begun to spread, according to MRFD.
It took about 40 minutes to bring the fire under control and it was put out in just over two hours.
A total of 8 acres were burned and no structures were threatened or damaged, according to MRFD.
No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
MRFD is asking people to use caution when burning outdoors and to never leave a fire unattended.
