BlockBefore

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.

Poplar within Roosevelt County

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

Population over time

2 figures

Poplar 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.

YearPeople Change
2010810
2020758-52 (-6%)

Topographic sheets covering this place

4 surveys from 6 printed sheets

Matched 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.

Fires near this place

1,518 since 1992

Regional 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/incendiarism441
Misuse of fire by a minor255
Missing data/not specified/undetermined254
Fireworks179
Debris and open burning92
Recreation and ceremony89
Smoking83
Equipment and vehicle use48
Natural45
Railroad operations and maintenance15
Power generation/transmission/distribution9
Other causes8

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

DateCause SizeReported by Name on the report
9 September 2012Naturalunder an acreFort Peck Agency901 7TH
9 September 2009Missing data/not specified/undetermined1.0 acresFort Peck AgencyS. LAGOON
9 September 2006Arson/incendiarism1.0 acresFort Peck AgencySOLID WASTE 5
9 September 2006Arson/incendiarismunder an acreFort Peck AgencySNAG
9 September 2006Arson/incendiarismunder an acreFort Peck AgencyS.HALL
9 September 2006Arson/incendiarism1.2 acresFort Peck AgencyDUPREE
9 September 2006Arson/incendiarism3.4 acresFort Peck AgencyPRICHARDS
9 September 2005Arson/incendiarismunder an acreFort Peck Agency600CSTE

Settlements close enough to share some of these fires:

Every fire recorded in Roosevelt County

Mines and quarries near this place

7 within 5 miles

Regional 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 SiteCommodity StatusRecorded
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown
Gravel PitSand and Gravel, ConstructionUnknown

Every working recorded in Roosevelt County

Storms near this place

60 of 81 shown

Regional 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.

WhenEvent Place namedHarm What the report says
June 2008LightningPoplar1 hurtA 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 2016Thunderstorm WindPoplar$860,000Roosevelt 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 2005Thunderstorm WindPoplar$100,000See event narrative below.
July 1998Tornado (F1)Poplar$100,000Tornado 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 1999Flash FloodPoplar$25,000Emergency 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 2010Thunderstorm WindPoplar$20,000Spotter 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 1999HailPoplar$20,000no account filed
July 2008Thunderstorm WindPoplar$8,000The 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 2005Thunderstorm WindPoplar$5,000An abandon house trailer was blown across US Highway 2.
August 1997Thunderstorm WindPoplar$2,000A Grain auger was destroyed by severe thunderstorm winds.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPoplar$1,000no account filed
September 2024HailPoplar-The public reported, via Facebook, hail up to the size of half dollars.
September 2024Thunderstorm WindPoplar-The public reported, via Facebook, a photo of a tree that fell on a car and a fence.
March 2020FloodPoplar-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 2019Thunderstorm WindPoplar-A 64 mph wind gust was recorded at the Poplar airport RAWS site. Time estimated by radar.
June 2018HailPoplar-Public reported, via social media, quarter size hail.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Public reported a large tree branch snapped and fell on a car.
June 2016Thunderstorm WindPoplar-A 74 mph gust was measured at the Poplar RAWS site.
July 2016HailPoplar-Public reported penny sized hail.
August 2013HailPoplar-Trained spotter reported nickel-sized hail.
June 2012HailPoplar-Nickel sized hail was reported 18 miles north of Poplar in Roosevelt County.
July 2011Flash FloodPoplar-Water depth up to 3 inches on city roads.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Strong winds lifted a work rig over, a treater tank was blown apart. Power lines were downed.
June 2010Heavy RainPoplar-Spotter reported 0.6 of rain in 10 minutes.
June 2010HailPoplar-Spotter reported a few tree branches downed and a few dents on vehicles.
July 2010Thunderstorm WindPoplar-A measured wind gust of 60 mph occurred 3 miles north-northeast of Poplar at the airport.
August 2010Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Spotter observed the wind gust along with very heavy rain.
July 2009Heavy RainPoplar-Three and a quarter inches of rainfall occurred. Pea-size hail also fell and power was lost (for at least two hours).
July 2009Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Measured wind gust at the Poplar Raws to 58 mph.
July 2008HailPoplar-The hail covered the ground for a 300 yard stretch.
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Rubber roofing on a house was ripped off.
July 2006Thunderstorm WindPoplar-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 2005Flash FloodPoplar-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 2005Tornado (F0)Poplar-A weak tornado briefly touched down northeast of Polar in a remote area. No damage was reported.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-67 mph wind reported at Poplar RAWS.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS site.
June 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Wind gust to 59 mph at Poplar RAWS.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-Wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS site.
July 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-60 mph wind gust reported at the Poplar RAWS.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-60 mph wind gust toppled a 12 inch diameter tree north of Poplar.
August 2002Thunderstorm WindPoplar-61 mph wind reported at Poplar RAWS.
June 2008HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2008HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2008HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2008Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
August 2007Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2007Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2006Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
August 2006Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2005Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2005HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2005Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
July 2004Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2003Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
June 2002HailPoplar-no account filed
June 2001HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2001HailPoplar-no account filed
July 2001Thunderstorm WindPoplar-no account filed
July 2001HailPoplar-no account filed

Every storm recorded in Roosevelt County

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 PlaceDistance Sheets
Sprole7.2 miles6
Deertail Indian Village (historical)7.3 miles6
Chelsea7.5 miles6
Brockton15.1 miles9
Macon17.0 miles6
Calais20.4 miles9
Anderson21.4 miles7
Wolf Point23.5 miles6

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 PoplarAn encyclopaedic summary. Its text is share-alike, so it is linked here rather than copied.
Wikidata item Q961131The 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.