Fires create concern for officials

The low snowpack and potential for a long, hot summer season are raising concerns about wildland fires in the area, especially in light of three human-caused fires near Libby in recent weeks. Three significant fires have been reported in the area since May 15. The first was at Michael’s Draw on May 15, with additional fires at Cedar Creek on May 19 and up Pipe Creek Road on May 24.

Quick reactions from local fire authorities prevented the fires from getting out of control, and no serious damage was reported from any of the incidents. The risk of serious damage, however, remains high as the weather warms and what little snow remains at higher elevation melts away.

“It’s very dry,” said Libby Volunteer Fire Department First Assistant Chief Steve Lauer. “The conditions are ripe for fires to get away from people.”

All three of the fires remain under investigation and all have been documented as “human-caused,” although questions remain about the ignition sources and specific causality. Fire officials, however, stopped short of characterizing any of the fires as arson.

“Some of these wildland fires seem a little suspicious,” Second Assistant Chief Scott Beagle said. “But we’re not ready to say someone’s intentionally setting them.”

The concern about arson could stem from a series of unsolved arson fires earlier in the year. Three portable outhouses were set alight in separate incidents in J. Neils Park and at the Port Authority property south of town.

“We’re unsure if we’ve got a continuation or another series of events like earlier, intentionally set fires,” Lauer said.

Lauer said the invesigations are still ongoing and law enforcement as well as fire officials are asking anyone with information to contact them. To date, no witnesses have come forward to report any suspicious or criminal activity and no specific ignition sources have been identified for any of the fires.

Regardless of the cause of the fires, officials are taking the potential risk very seriously. In addition to routine training required of all firefighters annually, Libby fire chief Tom Wood said his department is engaged in additional exercises and planning sessions, including strategic planning, structure protection and evacuation planning.

“It’s going to be a different year, so we don’t know what that will bring,” Wood said. “It’s the driest I’ve seen in years. We’ve already had more fires reported so far this year than we’ve had in some entire years.”

Beagle stressed the importance of caution and care around fire.

“People need to be extra cautious,” he said. “Little sparks, tossing a match or a cigarette butt out of a window, any little thing like sparks from a chainsaw even, can cause a fire.”

2014 was one of the least damaging years for fire in Montana, but still 1,646 fires burned a total of more than 38,000 acres, according to data from the Insurance Information Institute. 

The early onset of summer, leading to more heat and less moisture, has officials paying extra close attention to the situation and urging care from area residents.

“Being cautious, being careful is really the key,” Beagle said.