At 200,000 acres, 'very extreme fire behavior' seen in Lodgepole Complex

Billings Gazette

"Ray Hageman, the local fire warden, he was telling us as a team coming in last night, he's been fighting fire in this (Garfield) county since the early 80s and he's never seen it so extreme as it's been."

I live in Montana. There is an enormous fire in Garfield County. It is at or over 200,000 acres and growing. This is 312 square miles. While I am not directly affected by the flames, many of my friends are and some family are in close proximity and may be facing evacuation soon.

There are, in short, not enough resources being brought in to help fight this fire. Montana fire fighters are good, but there aren't as many of them as you would think, and most of them are already actively fighting fires near their own communities or must be on hand to address the ones that may flare up in the tinder box we are all living in right now. There has been little to no media attention brought to the situation outside of the state.

This is a desperate, devastating situation for people and animals. I have a corral and some hay I can offer, for a few displaced critters but my asthma is just about got me on my back because of the smoke. When it really rolls in I can barely go outside. We are doing what we can to help, but it's not much.

If I look north, I can see the smoke columns. This fire is a monster.

Maybe if this can get some more attention, I know there are some media folks on this site, maybe it will get them some help. Other wise, this thing is just going to keep burning until September, and there are a lot of little towns (maybe even my own) in it's way.

a reply to: redhorse

Redhorse - what can us none media people do to help you guys? Have you contacted your Congressman or Senator? Really tell us what to do to help.

originally posted by: Missmissie173
a reply to: redhorse

Redhorse - what can us none media people do to help you guys? Have you contacted your Congressman or Senator? Really tell us what to do to help.

We are contacting the Director of Emergency services for our County. Our county is providing assistance to that Lodgepole fire so he will know who to contact and what the most efficient utilization of resources would be. I'll post for everyone just as soon I hear from him.

Thank you so much.

a reply to: redhorse

NP. Montana is a beautiful place. I will check back in and keep bumping this thread. Bests.

Tragic, and I'm so sorry!

First off the Governor HAS to declare a State Of Emergency to become eligible for needed additional fire fighting resources to be made available. Don't know what the criteria for that is, but with the drought you'd think that threshold would have been reached already?

It's also possible many fire fighting teams are already deployed in British Columbia and elsewhere since this has been a very active fire-year?

I agree contacting your Congressman & Senator will probably get you better results, have you tried doing a Facebook blast to get the word out? Twitter and other platforms?

Bless you for thinking of others during this time!

I haven't heard anything about Montana. The press always talks about how bad the fires are in California. I sure feel for you guys. I know how it is. If it's not happening on one of the coasts, then no one knows or cares about it. We had some really bad fires out in Kansas. My college pal's husband was the sole tech coordinator for their county and the resulting stress and hours finally pushed him over into full blown kidney disease before it was all done. He's not quite on dialysis, but close.

And I know what smoke in the air from those things can do to you, so take it easy. The worst asthma attack I ever had was after they did a controlled burn on Ft. Riley and the smoke settled down into the river valley around Manhattan. I went outside and it was all over with. Took two breathing treatments and steroid shot to get my back to where I could breathe again.

originally posted by: Caver78
Tragic, and I'm so sorry!

First off the Governor HAS to declare a State Of Emergency to become eligible for needed additional fire fighting resources to be made available. Don't know what the criteria for that is, but with the drought you'd think that threshold would have been reached already?

It's also possible many fire fighting teams are already deployed in British Columbia and elsewhere since this has been a very active fire-year?

I agree contacting your Congressman & Senator will probably get you better results, have you tried doing a Facebook blast to get the word out? Twitter and other platforms?

Bless you for thinking of others during this time!

There is quite a bit of pressure on Steve Bullock to declare a state of emergency from a grassroots level, but I think one more voice could help.

I think that you are probably correct that most fire fighters are engaged on their own home turf, but there has to be some assistance out there. I know I sound desperate, and I'm usually not good at asking for help but this is... I really, I have no words.

That's why I suggested FB and other means, one voice is great, but the more the merrier right?

Hot-Shot teams come from all over the country, but I think?, to get them the Governor has to declare the State is suffering a emergency situation. The Governor, I think? again not totally sure, but CAN choose to deploy the National Guard to assist but I'm not sure what that criteria is either.

I'm guessing part of the problem is the rural area this is happening in, unlike BC or last years fires in Ft MCMurray Alberta the need for fast containment isn't being appreciated? You'd think with the crop loses we've already experienced by flooding and the late June frosts your public officials would be more proactive?

Hang in there!

I think some of us are wondering how many are acts of arson ? I have been to southern Montana and it was beautiful, Sheridan Montana and Twin Bridges.

Looking at this weeks weather forecast doesn't bring much hope for relief.
Personal experience..... fires are terrifying, and lifelong traumatic ....

originally posted by: Plotus
I think some of us are wondering how many are acts of arson ? I have been to southern Montana and it was beautiful, Sheridan Montana and Twin Bridges.

Looking at this weeks weather forecast doesn't bring much hope for relief.
Personal experience..... fires are terrifying, and lifelong traumatic ....

This one was probably a lightning strike. We had a heck of a storm roll through in the middle of the week. Tons of lightning and not much rain. It looks like these strikes smoldered and were missed and when they flared up, most of em started in remote areas so they weren't spotted and had time to blow up.

The Dahl fire in 2012 , which was not very far from us at all and we had to evacuate, well there are a lot of dark rumors going about regarding that one still. That one may have been intentional.

a reply to: redhorse

I was thinking the other day that some of these forest fires are being started on purpose... for what purpose, it's unclear but my head tells me that certain people are trying to change our atmosphere by killing off nature & wildlife! I was watching David Icke last night aswell and he goes into this 'changing of the atmosphere' stuff too. People are doing it for their purpose, so they can live on this planet without the need to hide.

I do too. A box of Ohio Blue Tips is every bit as destructive as any ground war as far as terrorists are concerned.

Lets hope the fires are of natural origin, still they pose dangers most can not fathom unless you have been in one. I would prefer to know it was lightning rather than terrorism in some form of arson attack

The West has been burning for the last few years while the/midlands east are getting an abundance of rain. I would suggest doing what they did down south a few years ago during a bad dry spell. They got down on their knees and tried talking to the head Weather Man.

originally posted by: Logarock
The West has been burning for the last few years while the/midlands east are getting an abundance of rain. I would suggest doing what they did down south a few years ago during a bad dry spell. They got down on their knees and tried talking to the head Weather Man.

BRAVO....

It has been semi normal all the 11 years I have been here in North Carolina, while cousins and friends sweltered and endured half a decade of severe drought on the West Coast and adjacent areas west of the Rockies.. As we speak the weather in the US for the last week of July, promises to be downright toxic and life threatening nationwide. Both for people and animals.

Some pictures coming out on Facebook. I wish I could give photo credit, but I can't track these down.

It's mostly landowners left to punt and try to fight this on their own to save their property and livestock. My guess that is what is going on here.

a reply to: redhorse

Have you contacted the Gov. through his State website? I read through and they state that if you request that Bullock contact you back that He will via phone or email. I will be happy to write to him also, but as a resident of the Great State of Texas, I don't know if it would have the same impact...it is at least worth a shout out! Squeaky wheel gets the grease.
Praying for you guys.

originally posted by: Missmissie173
a reply to: redhorse

Redhorse - what can us none media people do to help you guys? Have you contacted your Congressman or Senator? Really tell us what to do to help.

If you want to help here is the Garfield County DES website:

Garfield County DES

Contact information (at the bottom of the page):

DES Contact Information

Dale Ann Billing, Coordinator

Email:[email protected]

Mailing Address:

Jordan, Mt 59337

These folks can probably tell you what they need and how to get it there. I'm not on the ground, so-to-speak for this fire. Thanks for any help and anyone willing to reach out.

Lodgepole Complex

300 personnel so far. Type 2 management team already in place. Looks like it is getting the attention it needs. More than likely will go to a type 1 management team. When that happens they will get highest priority for firefighting resources. Type 2 still gets priority for personnel/equipment.

In all honesty, Smokey bear and put out all fires has led to the extreme fire behaviors seen in the West. Unhealthy forests caused by terrible stewardship have made most if not all national forests ticking time bombs as far as extreme fire behavior is concerned.

Anyway, hope you stay safe up that way.

a reply to: saabster5
Good to hear.

Seen the media quite on Eastern Washington State and North Idaho fires before. Luckily help was found through firefighters that came as far as Australia to help combat these. I have family who does on call wildfire fighting out of state, would suggest to seek out who can help with locally if still needed. Hopefully it's contained.