[Ares-races] Montana Ham Radio Operators Stand Down

[BillLennox@aol.com]

From:   www.arrl.org

Montana Hams Stand Down, Remain on Alert as Montana Wildfires Continue

        NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 11, 2003--ARRL Montana Section 
EmergencyCoordinator Jim Fuller, N7VMR, reports that Flathead County Amateur Radio Emergency 
Service (ARES) members have been released from duty for the <A HREF="http://akteam.ak.blm.gov/">Robert Fire</A>.The blaze, 
which began July 23 in Flathead National Forest, covers more than 24,400 
acres and is now 58 percent contained. Five small new fires were reported this 
week in Montana.  

       Ross and a crew of five ARES members had been supporting the Officeof 
Emergency Service (OES) and the Flathead County Disaster Care Unit.  In 
addition to maintaining communication between the OES and Red Cross shelters, they'd 
handled weather and smoke reports, assisted in the demobilization of the 
county command center at West Glacier and relayed official information from the 
OES.  

       Meanwhile, Fuller says, the Hobble Fire burned around the site of the 
N7VMR Greycliff repeater (147.28 MHz). "The site is intact and running on 
generator power," Fuller said. He noted that Ric Helvey, KB7KB, would be assessing 
the damage for Northwestern Power Company.  Fuller said that while the 147.28 
machine and the Montana RepeaterLink is operational from Billings to 
Cardwell, the Helena W7MRI 145.45 repeater is off the air, due possibly to lightning 
or fire near the site. Fuller said that so far, no ARES assistance has been 
needed for the Hobble Fire, but that could change if the fire moves on the Reed 
Point area.  
       
       At this point, 50 residences have been evacuated and one shelter has 
been opened for the Hobble Fire, which covers some 10,000 acres and is totally 
uncontained. Structure protection is in place for 70 residences.  Five 
outbuilding were confirmed lost, according to information from the <A HREF="http://www.nifc.gov/fireinfo/nfn.html">National 
Interagency Fire Center (NIFC</A>). "The fires in the Bitterroot area may generate a 
request for assistance,also," Fuller said. The Big Creek Fire in the Bitterroot 
National Forest--some 1400 acres and nearly fully contained--is burning four miles 
northwest of Victor, while the Gold 1 fire--a new 300-acre blaze and zero 
percent contained--is nine miles northeast of Corvallis. The Beaver Lake Fire 
some 19 miles southwest of Missoula in the Clearwater National Forest is at 900 
acres and zero percent contained. The fire has closed the Lolo Motorway.  

       "A red flag warning for gusty winds and low humidity is in effect for 
portions of Idaho and Montana," the NIFC says. "Fire weather watches for gusty 
wind, low humidity and isolated dry lightning are in place for southwestern 
Montana. So-called "dry lightning" occurs when precipitation from thunderstorms 
evaporates before it hits the ground. Cooler, moist weather over the August 
2-3 weekend had ameliorated the fire situation. 




Bill Lennox
US Air Force (Retired)
Full Time College Student (Emergency Management)
KD7EFP
Assistant Emergency Coordinator - Plans (ARES), Washington County, Oregon
Assistant Radio Officer - Plans (RACES), Washington County, Oregon
























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