November 3rd, 2009
In this Edition:
Around Montana
Weekend fire destroys Anaconda home
Fatal Evergreen House Fire Ruled an Accident
10th Anniversary of Hell Night ’99
Two more lawsuits filed in Bozeman explosion
Shepherd unveils new fire station
Around the Nation
Wyoming organizations release disaster plan pamphlets
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Around Montana
Weekend fire destroys Anaconda home
By George Plaven of The Montana Standard
http://www.mtstandard.com/articles/2009/11/03/area/hjjaiijgjhejji.txt
ANACONDA — Fire destroyed a home west of Anaconda Friday night.
Nobody was hurt in the blaze, but the log home, owned by Pete Smith, at 601 Geary Gulch Rd., was completely lost, West Valley Volunteer Fire Department Chief Steve Graham said.
It is unlikely the cause of the fire will be determined, Graham said, based on the heavy damage the home sustained.
"Very little of the house was left standing," Graham said.
The fire began at 10 p.m. and burned through the night, Graham said. Crews from the Anaconda Fire Department, Georgetown Lake and Opportunity Volunteer Fire Departments were also on hand to assist.
No one was home at the time of the blaze, Graham said.
The fire damaged only one home, he said.
"It's pretty much isolated," Graham said. "There are other homes in that area, but not close."
Thanks JoeC
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Fatal Evergreen House Fire Ruled an Accident
By Molly Priddy
http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/Officials_say_faulty_wiring_sparked_fire/13917/
Fire officials confirmed on Monday that faulty wiring caused a fatal Evergreen trailer house fire.
Earlier reports suggested arson was to blame, but Evergreen Fire Chief Craig Williams said the Flathead County Fire Investigation Team determined there was no foul play.
Sgt. Jim Browder of the Flathead County Sheriff's Department, who is also a deputy coroner, identified the victim as Rodney A. Nelson.
Nelson, 52, was found in the kitchen after fire crews tried numerous times to enter the trailer but were pushed back by heavy smoke and heat, Williams said.
The fire was reported at 8:08 a.m., Williams said, and an Evergreen Fire Rescue engine was on scene with a four-man crew within seven minutes. Williams reported heavy fire and smoke coming out of the windows when the engine arrived.
"We received information that there was possibly an occupant trapped," Williams said. A 3-person interior attack crew attempted to enter through the front door, but the fire was too hot, Williams said.
It took 20 to 25 minutes to put out the blaze from outside the trailer, Williams said.
“Those older mobile homes, they go up so quickly,” Williams said.
No other property was damaged in the blaze. The Kalispell Fire Department, the South Kalispell Volunteer Fire Department, the Flathead County Sheriff's Department and Flathead Electric Co-op were also on scene.
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10th Anniversary of Hell Night ’99
Reprinted from Under the Big Sky e-letter
10th Anniversary of Hell Night ’99: State of Montana DES Representative Mark Gruener
recently reminded us of the Halloween fires of 1999. I was still in Rapid City at the time, but
remember the cold front hitting (it rolled a few trick or treaters down our front hill), and the
huge clouds of smoke that covered the evening sky, all originating from eastern MT and
western ND. Here is Mr. Gruener’s account of that evening:
“As we commemorate the 10-year anniversary of what the Billings Gazette proclaimed as the
Hell Night Fires of Halloween ‘99 in Eastern Montana, it’s hard for me to believe how quickly
time passes. On that night 10 years ago, a synoptic wind event combined with downed power
lines, a couple of pyro trains, along with an abandoned campfire or maybe an arsonist or two to burn 90,000 acres in at least eight jurisdictions. All that happened in less than 12 hours. On top of that, more than 100,000 acres burned in North Dakota.
One of the most devastating fires burned through the town of Outlook in Sheridan County.
Children attending a Halloween Party at the Outlook School were evacuated just ahead of the
advancing flames as 26 structures burned along with some livestock. Ironically, when
authorities halted the train that started the fire in the town of Outlook, the fire caught up to the train and burned it too (photo above) – along with four Columbia Grain elevators that have never been rebuilt.”
The fires of Hell Night ’99 showed the need for fire weather expertise in eastern Montana, as
our wildfires tend to move much faster than those in forested areas. It was the catalyst for our office to receive nother position for an Incident Meteorologist. These meteorologists are
available for wildfire incident command teams to utilize, and in 2003 and 2006 IMET’s were
deployed in our area along Fort Peck Lake for the two fires that both burned over 130,000
acres.
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Two more lawsuits filed in Bozeman explosion
Associated Press
http://www.helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/article_a526d37a-c83d-11de-86a8-001cc4c002e0.html
BOZEMAN (AP) - Two more Bozeman businesses have filed lawsuits against NorthWestern Energy over a March 5 natural gas explosion that killed a woman and destroyed half a city block.
The owners of the Pickle Barrel and Boodles restaurants filed the latest lawsuits against the company and its senior gas system manager Leonard Leveaux in District Court in Bozeman.
Similar lawsuits by a building owner and several business owners have been filed against the company in recent months. The family of 36-year-old Tara Reistad Bowman, who died inside the Montana Trails Art Gallery, filed a wrongful death lawsuit.
NorthWestern Energy spokeswoman Claudia Rapkoch says the company doesn't comment on ongoing litigation.
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Shepherd unveils new fire station
Montana’s News Station
http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/Global/story.asp?S=11420878
The Shepherd Fire Volunteer Department celebrated the opening of a new fire station Saturday.
The new $348,000 fire station, which is Shepherd's second station, replaces a smaller facility that the department was renting. The volunteer department was established in 1968 and has operated two fire stations since 1974.
Firefighters are excited about the town's newest addition.
"It's the people of the community, they want to give back to the community. If you ask three-quarters of the people on the department, why did you join the department? Well, I want to give back to the community. And that's what it takes. It's a sign we're improving. We're growing. We're getting more assets to help the community," Chief Phil Ehlers said.
The Shepherd Volunteer Fire Department serves 527 square miles with 34 volunteers. The department built fire station one in 2002.
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Around the Nation
Wyoming organizations release disaster plan pamphlets
Associated Press
http://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/wyoming/article_7759161a-c88d-11de-92dd-001cc4c03286.html
JACKSON, Wyo. - Two Jackson-area organizations have released a brochure designed to help residents prepare for natural disasters.
Teton County Emergency Management coordinator Rich Ochs says the brochure, which lists the various emergencies that could affect the region and gives guidelines for coping with them, will be released Wednesday. It's the work of Teton County Emergency Management and Geologists of Jackson Hole.
The pamphlet covers earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flash floods, landslides, wildfires and avalanches. It will be sent to Jackson residents in their November utility statements.
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