GFFR crews, along with mutual aid partners, are working a grass fire in windy conditions near the area of 13th St Street/ Patterson Avenue/Country Home Lane.
Please avoid the area if possible for your safety and the safety of the responders working this incident.
Stay tuned to The Great Falls Gazette as we will update when we receive more information.
UPDATE:
On November 11th, two significant grass fires ignited in the Great Falls area just minutes apart.
The first fire was reported at 11:32 AM, located just south of the Great Falls city limits on 13th Street South near Country Home Lane. This fire burned several acres, which fortunately only burned vegetation. The total number of acres affected has yet to be determined.
Multiple homes and structures were threatened, but none sustained any damage. Given the dry, windy conditions, the fire spread quickly. Due to its size and scope, the Great Falls Fire Rescue requested assistance from several mutual aid partners, including the fire departments from the Montana Air National Guard, Malmstrom Air Force Base, Sand Coulee, Black Eagle, Gore Hill, and the DRNC. Their prompt responses and support were crucial, as this fire could have had devastating consequences if left unchecked. According to reports, the cause of the fire is currently under investigation, but does not appear to be criminal in nature.
While GFFR was in the process of bringing personnel back for the first fire, a second grass fire was reported at 12:16 PM. This fire was located just off I-15 at 1618 13th Ave SW. Since the MANG Fire Department had been requested to backfill GFFR Fire Station 4, they were the closest responders to this second fire. Upon arrival, they discovered that the fire had begun burning a vacant house. The crew was able to gain access to the structure and contained the fire before GFFR units arrived on the scene. This fire caused minor exterior damage to the vacant house as well as damage to the surrounding vegetation. The cause of this fire is considered accidental, likely resulting from a spark from a trailer or vehicle driving down I-15.
Author: Karen Anderson
Karen is the Editor-in-Chief overseeing all news operations at Foxys Publishing Co. She also loves photography and spending time with her dogs.
