4:45 p.m.: A wildfire burning 8 miles east of Polson has resulted in structure losses and evacuations on the East Side of Flathead Lake. Lake County issued a mandatory evacuation notice for the Finley point area early Sunday morning. The evacuation area also includes the section of highway 35 from mile marker 6 through mile marker 13. Entry to Finley Point was closed as of 2 p.m. with predicted high winds in the area.

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s office has issued a pre-evacuation warning for additional areas near the South Yaak Fire burning 4 miles northwest of Troy.

Gov. Greg Gianforte joined six other western governors Friday in a meeting with President Joe Biden to talk about wildfires. Thousands of acres are burning across the state of Montana amid a severe drought and high temperatures.

The 53,000 acre Poverty Flats Fire is threatening more than 1,240 homes around Big Horn County. It’s also threatening infrastructure, utilities and roads in the area.

New evacuation orders and pre-evacuation warnings went into effect Monday in western and central Montana, and air quality took a dive across much of the state.

Evacuation orders are in effect for Belt Park in Cascade County, and evacuation warnings are in effect for areas near Troy and Thompson Falls. In central Montana, five firefighters were injured Thursday afternoon while battling a lightning-caused fire.

New restrictions on campfires or smoking on public lands start Monday in parts of NW Montana. The Stage II restrictions come as the state faces a severe drought, more hot weather ahead and firefighting resources stretched thin.

Some health officials worry COVID-19 cases could increase among the unvaccinated as people head indoors to escape hot, smokey weather.

The National Interagency Fire Center reports there were 5 new fire starts in Montana on Monday, prompting minimal initial attacks by federal, state and local firefighters. Two of the fires were contained or controlled by late Monday. Evacuation warnings and orders are in effect in some areas.

The Northern Rockies Coordination Center reports 16 new fire starts in Montana. The largest of the new fires is the 600-acre Anderson Hill Fire in southwestern Montana’s Granite County.