Blackfeet Reservation Wildfires: Investigators Probe Cause Of Montana Blazes

BROWNING, Mont. -- A Blackfeet tribal spokesman says investigators believe a downed power line and a spark from a chimney caused the two wildfires that scorched 16,000 acres on the northwestern Montana reservation.

The fires sprung up at about the same time Wednesday evening outside Browning. High wind gusts spread the flames, burning at least two homes and causing hundreds to evacuate.

Spokesman Wayne Smith says the fires were 95 percent contained Friday afternoon.

Officials have not yet finished their investigation, but Smith says they have ruled out arson. He says investigators believe a power line downed by wind caused one of the fires.

One investigator concluded the other fire was caused by a spark from a chimney. Smith says two others went to the site to confirm those findings.

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Comments

[Robert Fanney]

02:18 PM on 01/08/2012

Pretty odd time of year for a fire of this size, even when ignited by a power line. Has Montana seen anything like this before at this time of year?

[bolski]

12:42 PM on 01/09/2012

I don't know about Montana, but we here in northern Minnesota have only a couple of inches of snow cover and that didn't get here until Christmas. It's 42 degrees right now (noon) which is probably 20-30 degrees above normal as it was most of November and December. No snow and low humidity is not a good combination.

[Stavo]

07:51 PM on 01/07/2012

Thought maybe it was a little to cold up there, in order to get some fire work money. Browning reservation is a very hard place to live.....and those Blackfeet natives manage to do just that. Then again, they managed to beat every major battle that the federal government used to throw at them. Nothing but respect for them.....more than any native in that state.

[TINKER6]

07:35 PM on 01/07/2012

FLASH : Supreme Court Judges found with pole spikes!

[eaarth2]

11:48 AM on 01/07/2012

and the republican party denies everything

yupodo yuppdo

[pepper701]

02:42 PM on 01/07/2012

YUP--as soon as you realize that both parties are one big party, maybe the illusion will be exhausted! It just amazes me to find people that still believe that we have a two party system and think big Gov is our friend! What does this fire story have to do with the Republican party?
Maybe because Rome is burning down and people are too busy blaming the other party instead of getting water to put out the blaze? Impeachment for all who voted on the NDAA!

[Robert Fanney]

02:19 PM on 01/08/2012

The same? Wow. That's a very good illustration of reality denial if I've ever seen one.