Jul. 30—Evacuation orders were issued Friday night after a wildfire quickly ballooned near Elmo on the west side of Flathead Lake. The human-caused Elmo Fire was estimated at about 7,000 acres in size as of Saturday afternoon, making it the largest fire ...

Temperatures hovered in the low 40s — brisk, but manageable — and a steady wind kept the giant balloons flying lower than usual. Instead of creating chaos, the breeze just added a bit of winter character. Crowds bundled up, grabbed coffee and watched floats roll past in a mood that felt more hometown-holiday than high-gloss spectacle.