County officials declare emergency

Lake County officials declared an emergency last week after surrounding fires took off over the Labor Day Weekend, pushing thick smoke into the Mission Valley.

“Lake County is surrounded by a ring of fire,” said Steve Stanley, coordinator for the Lake County Disaster and Emergency Service.

“We are in territory we’ve never been in before,” according to people who have lived and worked with emergency services for years, Stanley said.

The decision to declare an emergency allows officials to look at the 2-mill levy in place, he explained.

“If something major happens and the levy is needed,” it cannot be accessed until government funds are exhausted, Stanley explained.

That levy, Stanley said, generates $120,000 when an emergency is declared.

He explained that every county in the state has the ability to access a 2-mill levy for disasters or incidences that overwhelm a county’s ability to fund with what regular dollars are available.

Stanley stressed that the levy is only used after an emergency declaration and is used if an event requires the money.

“This isn’t something the commissioners take lightly,” he noted, adding that he didn’t immediately remember an incident requiring emergency action.

Emergency meetings were held on Labor Day with fire chiefs from around the county, Emergency Management, county commissioners and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation to assess fires, fire behavior and locations, he said.

County Commissioner Gale Decker explained that the declaration allows the county to mobilize fire trucks and other equipment if needed, adding that some departments have already “stepped up” by keeping their stations manned and ready to go.

As of last Thursday morning, Ronan and Polson Fire Departments were staffed from 12 p.m. until 8 p.m., with Arlee, Finley Point and St. Ignatius being added Friday, Stanley confirmed.

“Some of the rural fire departments have stepped up,” Decker said, adding that stations have volunteers at stations, waiting for calls.

“There is equipment ready to roll. Everybody we’ve talked to have emphasized if they can get to the fire soon enough, there’s a good chance they can knock it down before it gets to a good start,” Decker said.

Should a new fire start or a strong wind event whips through the area, Stanley said that “operations could be minimal” because of the lack of personnel to help fight and contain blazes.

“It’s really important to understand the resources just aren’t there,” he said.

Decker said that the emergency declaration does not change any restrictions in place, and it that it may be in place for a while.

“The purpose is to get things ready to go so we can get ahead of these fires before they turn into something bigger,” Decker said.

The current fire season has potential to compare to the wildfires of 1910, Stanley said.

About 3 million acres were scorched during the summer of that year in forests including the Bitterroot, Flathead and Lolo national forests.

Stanley said that residents can help during this critical time in fire season by having evacuation kits ready.

“There is time to generally prepare. That’s not true right now,” he began.

“People need to have their 72-hour kits ready to go… I would literally have it in my car.”

The purpose of a 72-hour kit is to allow people to function for 72 hours without help, Stanley explained. Limited resources may mean that in such an event, people may not be immediately rescued.

Kits should include medication, dehydrated food, clothes, first aid items and flashlights, for example. “so you can sit in the middle of a field and take care of yourself until help arrives,” Stanley said.

On Thursday, Sept. 7, Gov. Steve Bullock met with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Brock Long, urging additional assistance and resources to help fight Montana wildfires, according to a press release.

Bullock asked Long to work with his personnel to expedite the review and approvals of additional Fire Management Assistance Grant requests as well as to consider the ability to apply for those grants across multiple fires.

The FMAG program provides a 75 percent federal cost share for actual firefighting costs. Monies from the grant can be used for: field camps; equipment usage, repair and replacement; tools, materials and supplies; and mobilization and demobilization activities.