Stage 1 fire restrictions expanded to more counties in Montana MTN and last updated 2021-07-14 19:34:15-04 GREAT FALLS â With continuing hot and dry weather condition, two more counties have implemented Stage 1 fire restrictions: Fergus County and Sheridan County. These restrictions will begin on Friday, July 16, at 12:01 a.m. and apply to all state, private and federal lands within these counties. The Lewistown Area Fire Restriction Interagency Group announced the additions on Wednesday, July 14. On July 2, Stage 1 restrictions were ordered for all private, state, and BLM lands within Chouteau, Golden Valley, Petroleum, Phillips and Valley counties. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service lands on the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and the UL Bend National Wildlife Refuge within Fergus, Petroleum, Phillips and Valley counties will remain in Stage I restrictions. The Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest implemented fire restrictions across most of the forest on Friday, July 9. Burn bans are in effect for the Fort Belknap Reservation, Fort Peck Reservation, and Blaine, Daniels, Hill, and Roosevelt counties.