Grey Fire burns near Greycliff , south of Interstate 90 in Sweet Grass County

Added: 2026-05-18

[00:00:00]The flames spread within minutes, consuming trees and threatening homes.

[00:00:05]Including here at the Greycliff Mill. We got within a couple hundred feet potentially losing all of it. Even after sunset, conditions worsened. Wicked winds pushed the blaze mostly east and south of Interstate 90 in Greycliff.

[00:00:18]And it blew down this way. Fortunately, it was able to stay behind the cliffs and the fire crews were able to keep it back there. They were really concerned the Greycliff Mill. The fire came all the way out here.

[00:00:29]They were afraid of the fire spreading over this cliff out down toward the Greycliff Mill.

[00:00:36]These trees were bursting into flame.

[00:00:39]And they were moving straight toward this. It had this green grass around it.

[00:00:44]But embers were flying and they easily could have hit all of those structures.

[00:00:50]Many were forced to evacuate late into the night and early morning. And the fire was coming down right along this ridge the whole way. Stopped about right there and jumped the road and went around. So, it was a little terrifying for a while to see pretty much our whole life about to go up in smoke.

[00:01:07]>> It's very possible the fire started right here, spread in both directions, and then the firefighters were able to put a fire break just above here to save some of the homes. If they would not have come when they did, these would have all been knocked out. Matthew Sun Stephen was leading the group on a horse ride when the fire broke out.

[00:01:23]You know, I was trying to stay calm. I I didn't think it would make it up to where we were. We were pretty high.

[00:01:28]Stephen is also a volunteer firefighter and jumped in to help protect homes. We had to lay some hose line and and put a little water and try to, you know, get get a good bit wet it down, you know, a good ways into the black. Try to keep things safe. Fire Chief Chris Novotny estimates the fire at about 80 acres with next to no containment and winds expected to worsen. I'd still say we're sitting pretty close to zero.

[00:01:53]Not confident enough to give you any more than that. In Greycliff, David J.

[00:01:57]MTN News.