The ongoing conditions prompted Missoula County to issue a wildland fire emergency proclamation Tuesday and implement Stage II fire restrictions Friday. A new heat map of Missoula County shows just how much those temperatures can vary throughout the area and why. Personnel costs and medical costs are the main drivers of increases to the 2027 budget, Lounsbury said. This story was updated Aug. 7, 2026, to correct the type of taxes Missoula County is considering increasing to pay for road construction materials. Missoula County is seeking input on the future of the West Riverside Park Barn, which closed in December 2025 due to structural issues.