Firefighters battling blazes in Blaine County

Blaine County saw several of fires crop up Thursday night, most of them in the southern part of the county, the apparent result of a lightning storm.

Last night also saw a small fire in Beaver Creek Park that has since been extinguished.

Blaine County Commissioner Frank DePriest said most of the information he has on the fire is second-hand and somewhat vague at this point but as far as he's heard most of the fires were in the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, which responded to them with helicopters.

DePriest said the largest fire was in Bullwhacker Coulee, and two plumes of smoke were spotted in south Blaine County but crews may not have arrived yet as far as he's heard.

He also said two fires had been extinguished, one on Timber Ridge which was responded to by Fort Belknap with the assistance of the Harlem Volunteer Fire Department, the other south of T U Reservoir.

Chinook Volunteer Fire Department reported on its Facebook page today that breakfast was sent out this morning around 8:30 and crews were actively on scene.

Thursday evening that it was fighting seven fires in southern Blaine County.

The department said in a post Thursday it would appreciate any help with donations people could give but all donations should be made by noon becuase that a gas truck would be running lunch out about noon.

It added that, for people who were asking about about monetary donations, they can be sent to CVFD, PO Box 1161, Chinook, MT 59523

"Thank you again for all your generosity," the post said. "It is great to live and thrive in such a great community!"

The post added that people with questions, comments or concerns should call the Chinoook Volunteer Fire Department Firehall directly at 406-357-2500.

A post Thursday asked people not to go to scene of the fires to deliver items personally because having people in unknown locations is very dangerous.

The post asked people to please report to the firehall at 406-357-2500 any trip if people feel the need to be in the area of the fires.

A post said that at 12:28 this morning resources were on the scene and bedded for the evening at several burn locations and crews would be back on the lines at 6 this morning, added that several fires were near 100 percent containment.

Bear Paw Rural Fire Department Chief Josh Bebee said the fire in Beaver Creek was restricted to one camper which caught fire early this morning.

Bebee said they were dispatched at about 2:45 a.m. had the fire out by 4 a.m. and left the scene around 5 a.m.

He said the camper was unoccupied resulting in no injuries from the fire which never spread beyond the camper.

The cause of this fire is unknown.