As of Monday, August 2, 2021, Montana reports 116,634 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 274 new cases reported since Friday: 58 new cases in Flathead County, 38 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, 33 new cases in Missoula County, 31 new cases in Yellowstone County, 20 new cases in Gallatin County, and more new cases in 24 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,341. Currently, 112 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Flathead, Yellowstone, Cascade, and Missoula Counties. 1,708 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nationwide, more than 613,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 35,000,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

Heavy winds Saturday night pushed the Boulder 2700 wildfire across Highway 35 to the shore of Flathead Lake, triggering predawn evacuations Sunday of cabins along Finley Point. The human-caused fire has burned more than 1,100 acres along the lake east of Polson. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Fire Information Officer C.T. Camel said of the field conditions, “It was 90 degrees at 4 a.m. last night. [The fire] was burning like it was daytime.”

Near Cascade, the Harris Mountain Fire blew up again late Sunday afternoon and has now burned more than 27,500 acres. The fire spread southwest to Adel Mountain. No structures have been lost due to the recent growth to the south and southwest. The lightning-strike fire started July 23 about 10 miles southeast of Cascade. Containment is at 18%. There are 319 personnel fighting the blaze. Pre-evacuation and evacuation orders have been issued.
The Woods Creek Fire near Boulder Lakes in the Big Belt Mountains 16 miles northeast of Townsend has now burned more than 15,252 acres. The fire was sparked by lightning on July 10. There are 265 personnel assigned to the blaze. A mandatory evacuation order has been issued for everyone east of Highway 284 between Gravely Lane on the north and Dry Gulch Road on the south.
The Gatlin Gulch Fire six miles southwest of Boulder is now at 60 acres. It was reported July 31. It is in the area of the Elder Creek Campground on the Butte District of the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest.

The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg is offering to pay students’ tuition and room and board if they get the COVID-19 vaccine. Each week until Oct. 15, the names of five vaccinated students will be drawn for prizes like having their fall semester tuition paid, a benefit worth about $4,600.