Fire dominates park board meeting

Although the East Fork Fire has been contained and is largely suppressed, Monday evening’s Hill County Park Board meeting was heavily dominated by issues relating to lingering effects of the fire.

The grass is already sprouting back out in some burned areas, Beaver Creek Park Superintendent Chad Edgar told members of the board and public. Going forward, he said, some of the work includes working with cabin owners whose cabins were burned and replacing fencing that had been consumed all throughout the park.

He submitted a claim to insurance to try and get some money for replacement fencing, he said.

Calvin Long, who lost his cabin to the East Fork Fire, was at the meeting to make arrangements with Edgar about rebuilding from the ground up.

“There was no foundation left,” he said.

Long’s cabin used to be in Mooney Coulee. He had been leasing for 11 years and used it often, he said, but the fire consumed his cabin the Thursday after the big “blow up” Wednesday, Aug. 31.

He said he plans on rebuilding it, this time as shed-style instead of the trailer it was.

Rose Cloninger of the Cabin Owner’s Association asked what metal sidings cabin owners can install. She said she had been talking to someone who lost a cabin and the conversation turned to which type of siding would be the best deterrent for future fires.

Aside from a few people doing a little hiking on Mt. Otis, Edgar said during the superintendent’s report, the park has seen virtually no activity since the fire.

He’s been working on winterizing the lodge and blowing out the sprinkler system.

Installation of four video surveillance cameras throughout the park is close to completion, Edgar said, adding that he is coordinating with Triangle Communications to have the cameras installed soon.

Unlike last month when two cattle were struck by vehicles, no cattle have been hit this month. Edgar is also working to get a cabin that was driven into by a drunk driver repaired

The board also approved a stargazing event requested by Havre Trail’s Lindsey Brandt-Bennet for Oct. 13 at Rotary Falls.