Several fire departments were able to quickly bring the fire in the Birdseye area under control

HELENA – A fire broke out in the Birdseye area near Ruttebegga Road on Monday morning.

The fire burned hay bales, part of the field and a trailer.

Birdseye Fire Chief Kyle Sturgill-Simon said the fire was quickly contained after automatic and mutual aid was called by several fire departments, including Marysville, Canyon Creek, VA Fire, East and West Valley and Baxendale.

Firefighters were able to contain the fire to about one-tenth of an acre in size; the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Even though the summer season is coming to an end and the county’s Stage 1 fire restrictions have been lifted, Police Chief Sturgill-Simon said it’s important to stay alert because it’s still dry.

“It’s still very dry out there. We’ve lifted the Stage 1 fire regulations in the county, but that doesn’t mean people don’t have to be careful. And we have a lot of ignition sources that can catch people off guard. We also have a lot of storms this time of year and that wind can really ignite something and the fuels are definitely dry enough to run with,” Sturgill-Simon says.