Fire chief received non-life-threatening injuries

Havre Daily News staff

Three fires blazed in Blaine County Monday, at least one caused by wind, resulting in non-life-threatening injuries to one firefighter.

A press release from Blaine County Disaster and Emergency Services said a Harlem firefighter was injured fighting a fire about 2 1/2 miles south of Harlem along the Milk River that involved about 50 acres of land and baled hay. The injuries were not life-threatening, the release said.

The Blaine County Commission confirmed this morning that Harlem Volunteer Fire Department Chief Robert Scheffelmaer was the injured firefighter but did not have any information about his condition.

Scheffelmaer was not a patient at Northern Montana Hospital Tuesday. He and members of his family could not be reached for comment by printing deadline today.

The Harlem and Fort Belknap fire departments initially responded, and as the fire could have spread rapidly due to the high winds, assistance from the Chinook, Turner, Hogeland, Kremlin and Gildford fire departments was requested.

The fire was reported Monday evening and contained during the late morning hours Tuesday, with firefighters continuing to monitor hot spots during the day Tuesday, the release posted about 5 p.m. Tuesday said.

Another fire Monday on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation was handled by the Fort Belknap Fire Department, the release said.

A third fire occurred when the wind blew an object into a power line, starting a blaze Monday northeast of Turner. The Turner fire department and landowners responded to fight the fire, which burned two outbuildings from a homestead on about 82 acres.