A friend from many years ago lives in Missoula. I had planned, when we were staying in Big Sky, to drive up there to see her. I know it was a long round trip, but I was willing to do it. She waved me off, though, because that year there were tons of forest fires, and apparently parts of the Interstate around Missoula were closed.
It's all part of the glamor of living here (/s). I was taken aback when first driving out here in late December and seeing 'rail road crossing' barriers on the highway (what the heck?). It took a few to realize that they were for closing the highway for snow/wind... not something I was interested in having happen in the middle of the night and no where to go back to!
By the by, I've driven through a few of the fires around Missoula (and other areas). Lots of interesting times when you see smoke and you're in the back woods on a dead end forest road!
Do consider returning though (especially before the price of gas goes up again -- or 0bama enacts some other means to close down travel/off road access).