Montana News Roundup: Anaconda Shooter Due in Court

The man accused of shooting four people at an Anaconda bar and then leading police on a week-long manhunt is scheduled to enter a plea to charges Wednesday.

Michael Brown is being held on a $2-million bond for the slayings last month. The Montana Standard reported Friday that Brown is set for arraignment on the four murder counts this week. The courts have sealed records in the case, but we may learn more about a possible motive for the shooting with those formal charges this week.

      Up to now, investigators and the county attorney's office have offered no explanation as to why Brown would murder the server and three patrons on August 1st at the Owl Bar.

Expect more smoke from the Windy Rock Fire

The Windy Rock fire near Drummond grew to just under 4000 acres over the weekend. But firefighters say favorable weather conditions, with limited fire behavior, continue to help, and they're expecting to secure both direct and indirect lines in the next two to three days. They are planning some additional "firing operations" to reduce the fuel loads, which could create additional smoke at times.

"We'll continue to use aviation assets in order to limit that fire growth, as well as continue to bolster our indirect fire lines, preparing them for potential firing operations in the future." -Field Operations Chief Devin Parks

     Evacuation orders remain in place for homes and properties near the fire.

More Montana Fire Updates

Hotter weather is back, but so far it's had a limited impact on our continuing fires across Montana. Although Montana DNRC is reporting 22 new fire starts through yesterday. Most of those are smaller fires that broke out in Northwest Montana through Monday afternoon.

Containment continues to grow on the Cloudrest and Bevins Creek Fires burning in the western Tobacco Root range in Madison County. At last word, Bevins Creek had 76% containment, with 20% on Cloudrest.

Heat advisory for some Montanans today

Air quality will continue to be impacted by regional fire smoke today, with many locations seeing some degradation, although the worst we've seen is "moderate" air quality readings. Missoula saw the highest readings yesterday. But Billings, Bozeman, Butte, Great Falls, Thompson Falls, and the Flathead Valley were still at "moderate" air quality last night.

The big weather feature today and tomorrow will be the heat. The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for the Lower Clark Fork and the Kootenai-Cabinet from midday today to midnight Wednesday. Libby is likely going to be the warmest in the state, with a forecast high today of 101 degrees and 102 on Wednesday.

     Temperatures are expected to moderate by Thursday or Friday.

It's been a deadly week on Montana roads

Montana Highway Patrol is now reporting it was a 21-year-old Missoula man who died over the weekend when his motorcycle was involved in a head-on crash near Clinton.

Troopers say the victim was traveling in the opposite direction of a second bike on Kendall Creek Road when the two Kawasakis collided, killing him instantly. The second rider, a 23-year-old from Clinton, was also injured. Troopers say alcohol was a factor in the crash.

    8 year old dies in ATV crash

An 8-year-old Vaughn boy was killed when he was riding a full-sized Honda ATV near Neihart.

Investigators say the boy applied the brakes on the four-wheeler suddenly, sending him over the handlebars, hitting his head on some rocks, and being run over by the quad.

    Woman dies when car overturns into a creek

And we also have details now on an early morning crash last Thursday, a 45-year-old woman near Rocky Boy. Troopers say the 42-year-old Billings man driving the car lost control and went off the road, with the Nissan overturning in a creek. He was injured, along with a second woman in the car. None were wearing seatbelts.