Fire officials laud Gunbarrel effort

Though the Gunbarrel fire is not yet extinguished - its eastern flank is still smoldering - forest managers are already sharing lessons from the big blaze, saying it will serve as a model for fighting wildland fires next summer.

But the circumstances that allowed for successfully managing a fire that often raged with ferocious intensity across more than 68,000 acres didn't happen by chance. They are largely the result of efforts by forest workers and owners of cabins and lodges to clear trees, brush and other fuels from around structures.

Link to full Billings Gazette article.