WESTERN MONTANA INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                           

MOOSE FIRE, Columbia Falls, MT, Sept. 23, 2001

High Winds and Big Columns!   Winds of up to 30 miles per hour were recorded on the ridge tops of the Moose Fire Friday.  Local residents were alarmed as they saw new life on the southern portions of the fire.  Fortunately, the activity was in an area of the fire that didn’t threaten any structures or pose a major threat to the control of the fire.  Helicopters and crews responded and although 400 acres eventually burned in the area near McGee Meadows in Glacier National Park, fire officials feel the flare up has been contained.  Other parts of the fire experienced smaller increases in fire behavior and no control lines were lost.  The fire perimeter now totals 69,890 acres.

Out with the old and in with the new.  Forest fire fighting policy requires that fire crews rotate off the fire after 14 days.  This is to ensure rest for crews since shifts often average over 14 hours a day with no days off. 

Incident Commander Bill Swope’s Western Montana Type 2 Incident Management Team arrived on the Moose Fire September 11^th.  They will hand over the leadership reins to Chuck Stanich’s Team on Monday, September 24.  Stanich’s team is made up of Western Montana fire managers from the Forest Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Bureau of Land Management and the National Park Service. 

Under Bill Swope’s leadership, firefighters made considerable progress toward suppressing the Moose Fire.  No structures were lost and most importantly, no serious injuries were suffered.

Residents and visitors tour the fire.  Hundreds of Flathead County residents as well as out of state visitors have visited the fire area during the past week.  Guided tours offered by the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park and the Information Center have been very popular as well as drive through traffic.  Information officers have been available throughout the fire to answer questions and distribute facts and figures.

Sunday activities in fire camp include tours from 1-4pm.  Information Officers will take visitors through the temporary home of the 600 firefighters.  They will give an inside look at all the infrastructure needed to house, feed, equip and pay the army of workers.

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