breaking news

Twelve Small Fires Contained Along Hwy 12 Near Lolo

By Matthew Frank, 8-15-08

Twelve small fires, ranging in size “from two feet to two acres,” flared up along a 1.5-mile stretch of Highway 12 near Lolo Friday, apparently the result of a vehicle’s mechanical failure, said Cindy Super, fire prevention coordinator for the DNRC, but they were quickly doused and Hwy 12 has reopened.

“They’re basically just cleaning things up right now,” said Super.

A helicopter helped to make quick work of the fires.

Super asks for anyone who “saw a vehicle that was maybe throwing sparks coming down the hill” on Hwy 12 to call the Missoula County Sheriff’s Department or the Fire Department.

Here’s the press release:

The Highway 12 Fire between mile markers 30-32 on Highway 12 near Lolo has been contained and the highway has been re-opened.  The total acreage is unknown at this time but the incident commander has confirmed that there were actually 12 separate spot fires, all of them located on the east side of Highway 12.  The smallest of the spot fires was about two feet and the largest was roughly two acres.

The fire was burning in multiple protection areas, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) and Missoula Rural Fire District.  Fire crews from both agencies and the US Forest Service quickly responded to the area and Florence Fire Department had a water tender ready if needed.  The DNRC also sent the type-2 helicopter based out of Missoula. “The helicopter saved our bacon,” said Missoula Rural Fire Department Battalion Chief Dale Walker, saying that the quick response of the helicopter was critical to keeping the fire small.  Walker added that after the helicopter dropped buckets of water on the fire to stop the spread of the flames, they were able to help fire fighters on the ground locate all the spots. 

Fire investigators from the Missoula County Sheriff’s Department and Missoula Fire Department confirmed the fire was human-caused.  The separate fires appear to have been started by a mechanical failure of a vehicle or by operation of a vehicle, possibly a bad brake or something being thrown from the exhaust.  If anyone has any information about the case, they are asked to call the Missoula County Sheriff’s Department (406-258-4810) or Missoula Fire Department (406-273-2551).

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