Fire Danger Causes Stage 2 Bitterroot Forest Restrictions Two weeks ago, the Bitterroot National Forest moved up to "Very High" fire danger. Less than a week later, they moved to "Extreme" fire danger. And only a few days later, on Saturday, July 17, Stage 2 Fire Restrictions will start on the forest. Tod McKay, Public Affairs Officer, reported the Bitterroot forest has never reached Extreme conditions and Stage 2 restrictions this early in the fire season. For instance, the Stage 2 level has not been reached since August of 2018, three years ago. In fact, the forest jumped over Stage 1 restrictions right into Stage 2 because of the incredibly dry conditions. The restrictions include the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness in Montana and the Anaconda-Pintler wilderness on the eastern side of the Bitterroot Valley. Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness areas in Idaho are not included in this ruling. For other Montana restrictions check this website.