🌱 Fire Danger In Missoula Co. Moderate + Fourth Celebrations

Welcome back, Missoula! I'm here in your inbox today to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Tuesday: A stray afternoon t-shower. High: 83 Low: 51.
• Wednesday: Hazy sun. High: 84 Low: 51.

Here are the top three stories today in and around Missoula:

1. As of Monday, Jul. 3, county officials have placed Missoula in a "moderate" fire danger level. Missoula County Fire Protection Association (MCFPA) staff raised the fire danger as a result of increasing temperatures, reduced precipitation, and drying vegetation. Per MCFPA, at a moderate fire danger level, fires will easily spark in open, dry grassland, with the potential to burn and spread quickly if winds allow. Locals are asked to exercise caution, especially with Independence Day in mind — on average, three-quarters of wildfires in Missoula County are man-made. (KPAX News)
2. Missoula County and Western Montana are ringing in the Fourth with enthusiasm as always. Today, at the Historical Museum of Fort Missoula, the 47th annual Fourth Fort Celebration is running from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Seeley Lake is also hosting a display with a boat parade at 2:00 p.m., and fireworks will go off at roughly 10:30 p.m. Another option is the Lolo Hot Springs fireworks display at 11:00 p.m., right off of Highway 12 west of Lolo proper. (KPAX News)
3. For some time now, Missoula's burgeoning Muslim community has been using Fifth Street's International Muslim House, owned by the University of Montana, as a de facto mosque and community gathering place, as well as the official headquarters of the Montana Islamic Society. Unfortunately, the University has recently announced plans to renovate the property and turn it into residential housing, creating a number of problems for Missoula's Muslims, a population that's estimated by International Muslim House staff at roughly 500. A prominent member of Missoula's Muslim community, Aseel Niazai, originally from Afghanistan, is currently in talks with Missoula's mayor to see what can be done to replace the soon-to-be-closed Int. Muslim House with something more workable and permanent. (Subscription: Missoulian)

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Today and tomorrow in Missoula:

Tuesday, July 4

• Fort Missoula - Out West Wagon Rides At The Fort Missoula Fire Tower (11:30 AM)
• Old-Fashioned 4th of July Celebration At The Historical Museum At Fort Missoula (10:00 AM)
• Missoula Jazz Collective At Draught Works (5:30 PM)

Wednesday, July 5

• Grief Matters Adult Support Group At The Tamarack Grief Resource Center (3:30 PM)
• Makerspace Classes At The Missoula Public Library (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Two missing kittens, temporarily named Arlee and Jocko, have been found near Jocko Road in nearby Arlee. The Western Montana Humane Society is asking that if anyone recognizes them to please call and claim them! (The Humane Society of Western Montana via Facebook)
• The University of Montana Grizzlies are ready and raring for the Fourth! Click the link to view photos of the team celebrating the holiday during a workout. (University of Montana via Facebook)
• The Missoula Downtown Association is proud to announce it added five new members in June: Chi-Khi Bikinis & Apparel, Missoula Social Media, Double K Ranch Deli, Northwestern Mutual, and The Local Transport! (Missoula Downtown via Instagram)

That's it for today! I'll see you soon.

— Amy Mayo

About me: Amy Mayo is a writer, visual artist, and political scientist, living in the NC Research Triangle. She graduated from the University of North Carolina Asheville with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and has worked in a variety of fields outside of copywriting including policy advocacy, the healthcare industry and pharmaceuticals, and education. She hopes one day to live up to the stringent expectations of her cat, Morty.