Wildfire torches about 2,000 acres

After a night where a fire scorched about 2,000 acres of prairie land on Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, the Fort Belknap Fire Department said the inferno is nearly 95 percent contained.

Byard Lamebull, the fire department's chief, said the fire is now burning mostly trees, cottonwood and hay bales.

The flames were fueled by winds of between 50 to 60 mph.

Between 50 and 60 firefighters and volunteers from fire departments in Chinook, Dodson, Fort Belknap, Harlem, Lewistown, Malta, Rocky Boy and Turner were dispatched to combat the blaze that burned eight miles east of Harlem.

Lamebull said the cause of the fire was most likely human, since no lightning strike had been reported. Whether it was caused accidentally or intentionally remains unknown, he said.

Area departments first received reports of the blaze at about 2:30 p.m. An estimated 200 tons of hay, grazing land and alfalfa were devoured by the flames.

Some five homes were in the path of the fire, though none of them were evacuated. Lamebull also said there was no structural damages to homes or barns, injuries or loss of cattle reported.