Poplar, Montana
6 topographic sheets cover this place, the earliest surveyed in 1912 and the latest in 1972. It stands in the Fort Peck Reservation census division. It lies in ZIP code area 59255. It stands on Boxelder Creek. The Survey maps it on the Poplar quadrangle. 758 people lived here at the 2020 count. It stands 1,991 feet above sea level.
On record in Poplar
Buildings and businesses the archive holds for this place. Each opens its own page, with the source record it came from.
On the National Register 1 record
- Fort Peck Agencylisted 1970
Population over time
2 figuresPoplar fell from 810 to 758 between 2010 and 2020. These are the recorded population figures Wikidata holds for this place, reached through the Geographic Names Information System number this page is keyed on rather than by name, so they belong to this place and not to another of the same name. Most are census counts, but not all are: an early figure may be a founding or settlement estimate, and an estimate published within five years of a census is left out. The change column is computed, and is left blank where more than 20 years separate a figure from the one before it, because a gap that long is not a change between two counts.
| Year | People | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 810 | |
| 2020 | 758 | -52 (-6%) |
Topographic sheets covering this place
4 surveys from 6 printed sheetsMatched by testing this settlement's coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet in the United States Geological Survey's historical collection. Each opens the scanned sheet at the Survey.
- 1912 USGS Poplar quadrangle1:62500
- 1954 USGS Wolf Point quadrangle1:250000, 2 printings
- 1958 USGS Wolf Point quadrangle1:250000
- 1972 USGS Poplar quadrangle1:24000, 2 printings
Fires near this place
1,518 since 1992Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 1,518 fires within 5 miles of Poplar between 1992 and 2020, burning about 3,046 acres in total. 45 started naturally. 441 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Arson/incendiarism | 441 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 255 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 254 |
| Fireworks | 179 |
| Debris and open burning | 92 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 89 |
| Smoking | 83 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 48 |
| Natural | 45 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 15 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 9 |
| Other causes | 8 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 September 2012 | Natural | under an acre | Fort Peck Agency | 901 7TH |
| 9 September 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Fort Peck Agency | S. LAGOON |
| 9 September 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.0 acres | Fort Peck Agency | SOLID WASTE 5 |
| 9 September 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fort Peck Agency | SNAG |
| 9 September 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fort Peck Agency | S.HALL |
| 9 September 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | 1.2 acres | Fort Peck Agency | DUPREE |
| 9 September 2006 | Arson/incendiarism | 3.4 acres | Fort Peck Agency | PRICHARDS |
| 9 September 2005 | Arson/incendiarism | under an acre | Fort Peck Agency | 600CSTE |
Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:
Mines and quarries near this place
7 within 5 milesRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 7 workings within 5 miles of Poplar: 7 unknowns. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown | ||
| Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Unknown |
Storms near this place
60 of 81 shownRegional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Poplar in 81 storm reports between 1997 and 2024: 41 thunderstorm wind, 30 hail, 3 flash flood, 2 tornado. The reports record 1 injury. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 2008 | Lightning | Poplar | 1 hurt | A 70 year old man raking the yard suffered minor injuries from a nearby lightning strike. He received treatment at the hospital before being released several hours later. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $860,000 | Roosevelt County law enforcement and numerous public reported significant damage in the town of Poplar. Numerous trees were uprooted and many homes damaged, including some roofs blown off or damaged. A FEMA Damage Assessment Team came after this event and determined the extent of damages to private and tribal HUD homes. |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $100,000 | See event narrative below. |
| July 1998 | Tornado (F1) | Poplar | $100,000 | Tornado damage was done to a ranch 18 miles northwest of Poplar. One steel pole barn was completely destroyed and farm equipment was tossed around and damaged. Windows were blown out of the house and the wheat crop was a total loss. |
| June 1999 | Flash Flood | Poplar | $25,000 | Emergency Manager reported road closures in central Roosevelt county due to extremely heavy rain falling on already saturated soil. Up to 2 feet of water was reported over the North Poplar Road. Other secondary roads along the Poplar River and Smoke Creek were also closed due to high water. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $20,000 | Spotter reported trees down with heavy rain and wind speed was unknown. Poplar RAWS reported a wind gust of 72 mph at 20:28 MST. A long metal building near the Poplar Airport had the southwest corner of the metal roof peeled back and blown downstream. |
| July 1999 | Hail | Poplar | $20,000 | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $8,000 | The wind pulled an empty fertilizer tank out of the ground and ripped off the back of a quonset hut. Cottonwood trees were uprooted and blown to the ground. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $5,000 | An abandon house trailer was blown across US Highway 2. |
| August 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $2,000 | A Grain auger was destroyed by severe thunderstorm winds. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | $1,000 | no account filed |
| September 2024 | Hail | Poplar | - | The public reported, via Facebook, hail up to the size of half dollars. |
| September 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | The public reported, via Facebook, a photo of a tree that fell on a car and a fence. |
| March 2020 | Flood | Poplar | - | Excessive snow melt caused flooding at the river gauge on the Poplar River near Poplar (PLRM8). The gauge recorded river levels rising above the flood stage of 16.0 feet at 9:38 PM MST on March 10th. The river crested at 16.2 feet at 11:30 PM MST on March 10th. River levels dropped back down below flood stage at 3:30 AM MST on March 11th. |
| June 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | A 64 mph wind gust was recorded at the Poplar airport RAWS site. Time estimated by radar. |
| June 2018 | Hail | Poplar | - | Public reported, via social media, quarter size hail. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Public reported a large tree branch snapped and fell on a car. |
| June 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | A 74 mph gust was measured at the Poplar RAWS site. |
| July 2016 | Hail | Poplar | - | Public reported penny sized hail. |
| August 2013 | Hail | Poplar | - | Trained spotter reported nickel-sized hail. |
| June 2012 | Hail | Poplar | - | Nickel sized hail was reported 18 miles north of Poplar in Roosevelt County. |
| July 2011 | Flash Flood | Poplar | - | Water depth up to 3 inches on city roads. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Strong winds lifted a work rig over, a treater tank was blown apart. Power lines were downed. |
| June 2010 | Heavy Rain | Poplar | - | Spotter reported 0.6 of rain in 10 minutes. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Poplar | - | Spotter reported a few tree branches downed and a few dents on vehicles. |
| July 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | A measured wind gust of 60 mph occurred 3 miles north-northeast of Poplar at the airport. |
| August 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Spotter observed the wind gust along with very heavy rain. |
| July 2009 | Heavy Rain | Poplar | - | Three and a quarter inches of rainfall occurred. Pea-size hail also fell and power was lost (for at least two hours). |
| July 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Measured wind gust at the Poplar Raws to 58 mph. |
| July 2008 | Hail | Poplar | - | The hail covered the ground for a 300 yard stretch. |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Rubber roofing on a house was ripped off. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | A grain auger was flipped over by the strong wind. 1/4 to 1/2 inch hail covered the ground. One inch of rain fell in 15 minutes. |
| June 2005 | Flash Flood | Poplar | - | Heavy rain in Roosevelt County caused Chelsea and Box Elder Creeks to rise significantly and flood in spots. Very heavy rain of 4.3 inches was reported over a small area 23 miles northwest of Poplar. Highway 13 and some other local roads were flooded in spots. |
| June 2005 | Tornado (F0) | Poplar | - | A weak tornado briefly touched down northeast of Polar in a remote area. No damage was reported. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | 67 mph wind reported at Poplar RAWS. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS site. |
| June 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Wind gust to 59 mph at Poplar RAWS. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | Wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS site. |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | 60 mph wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | 60 mph wind gust toppled a 12 inch diameter tree north of Poplar. |
| August 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | 61 mph wind reported at Poplar RAWS. |
| June 2008 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| August 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| August 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2005 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2003 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2002 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Poplar | - | no account filed |
| July 2001 | Hail | Poplar | - | no account filed |
Nearest settlements
The eight closest, with where each one stands in the county. Distances are straight-line, computed from the Geographic Names Information System coordinates.
| Map | Place | Distance | Sheets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sprole | 7.2 miles | 6 | |
| Deertail Indian Village (historical) | 7.3 miles | 6 | |
| Chelsea | 7.5 miles | 6 | |
| Brockton | 15.1 miles | 9 | |
| Macon | 17.0 miles | 6 | |
| Calais | 20.4 miles | 9 | |
| Anderson | 21.4 miles | 7 | |
| Wolf Point | 23.5 miles | 6 |
Elsewhere
Matched on this settlement's Geographic Names Information System number rather than its name, so it cannot be a different place of the same name in another state.
| Wikipedia article on Poplar | An encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied. |
| Wikidata item Q961131 | The structured record the population and elevation above come from. Public domain (CC0). |
Provenance
This settlement is recorded in the Geographic Names Information System as feature 775362. The sheet list is computed by point-in-boundary test against the United States Geological Survey's historical topographic inventory. Both are works of the United States government and carry no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.



