Flathead County Commissioners Declare Local Emergency
Flathead Electric Cooperative crews are working to restore service to the roughly 27,000 members who remain without power as more wind and precipitation is forecast in the region
By Maggie Dresser
The Flathead County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday declared a local emergency in response to a windstorm that left thousands of residents without power, authorizing officials to issue evacuations and expend emergency funds, according to a news release.
Effective Dec. 17, the emergency declaration authorizes Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino to “direct and compel” evacuations, if necessary, “in order to preserve life and protect public safety.” The sheriff may also “control ingress and egress into emergency areas, regulate the movement people within those areas, and manage the occupancy of premises as conditions warrant.”
The resolution also grants budgetary authority to expend funds from Fund 2260 (Emergency/Disaster) for “costs associated with responding to and mitigating the impacts of the extreme weather event.”
Copies of the emergency resolution will be filed with the Flathead County Clerk and Recorder, County Assessor, and the Montana Disaster and Emergency Services Division in Helena.
Flathead County officials urge residents to monitor local conditions, avoid unnecessary travel during hazardous weather and stay informed through official county communications and emergency alerts.
As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 27,000 Flathead Electric Cooperative (FEC) members were without power while roughly 3,700 member’s power was restored. Estimated restoration times are not available due to the extensive damage across the service area while some members may remain without power overnight.
A cold front will bring cooler temperatures on Thursday morning while precipitation is expected to return over the following 48 hours, bringing up to an inch of snow to the valley floor before changing to rain this weekend, according to the National Weather Service.
In Lincoln County, where the region has already been in state of emergency since last week due to floods, today’s rain has surged the Yaak River near Troy to just below the flood stage of 8 feet.