Little Belt Mountains, Montana – Video shows a large smoke column rising from the Ant Park Fire in the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest, with active burning visible at the base of a forested ridge.

The aerial footage captures a dense column of light gray to beige smoke climbing above the mountainous terrain. A helicopter rotor blade is visible in the frame as the fire burns through the remote landscape.

The Ant Park Fire started on July 31, 2026, at 2:54 p.m. MST in the Little Belt Mountains, approximately 7 miles southeast of Showdown Mountain Ski Area and 15 miles northeast of White Sulphur Springs.

The cause of the fire remains undetermined. The blaze has grown to approximately 386–700 acres and is burning through subalpine fir and dead, down timber.

Fire crews are working toward containment, with progress reported between 0% and 27%. Resources include hand crews, engines, heavy equipment, and helicopters, with personnel numbers ranging from around 60 to 174.

The 2003 Ant Park Fire footprint is helping slow the spread on the western edge. Forest road closures remain in effect, while no structures have been damaged and no immediate threats have been reported.

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