Page 10 - Flathead Beacon // 8.3.16

NEWS
Wild re Sparks Near Thompson Falls as Fire Season Heats Up Copper King Fire burned 700 acres on July 31
BY JUSTIN FRANZ OF THE BEACON
Fire ghters across western Montana are bracing for a busy week after two res exploded over the weekend near Thompson Falls and Hamilton.
While the massive Roaring Lion Fire near Hamil- ton was attracting most of the resources and attention, re managers are also worried about the Copper King Fire just east of Thompson Falls that was rst reported on July 31. As of Aug. 1, the re had burned at least 700 acres.
Lolo National Forest spokesperson John Hamilton said Monday that 33 re ghters were working the re and a Type II incident management team was en-route to take over on Aug. 2.
Hamilton said the Clark Memorial and Copper King campgrounds have been closed due to the re. Forest Service Road 9991 on the east side of the Thompson River is closed from the junction with Montana High- way 56 and mile marker 17. Forest Service Road 5587 and forest trails 345 (Todd Creek), 368 (Big Hole Look- out), 370 (Spring Creek), 372 (Munson Creek), 445
The Copper King Fire burns near Thompson Falls. GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
(Kookoosint) and 1268 (Bay State) are also closed. Fire danger on the Lolo National Forest is currently
high.
Hamilton said there are 15 to 20 structures in the
area of the re and people who live there are being kept
up-to-date on conditions. However, the re appears to be burning away from any homes in the area.
Further south, near Hamilton, the Roaring Lion Fire scorched more than 3,500 acres on July 31, forc- ing the evacuation of approximately 500 homes in the Bitterroot Valley. A Type I incident management team was ordered to manage the blaze and they are expected to arrive this week.
Flathead County Fire Service Area Manager Lin- coln Chute said the re danger in Northwest Montana has been elevated to high. He urged all residents to be vigilant and take steps to prepare their homes for re, including cutting high grass and clearing out gutters.
“When you see what’s happening near Thompson Falls and in the Bitterroot it’s a reminder that people here need to prepare for a wildland re. We don’t know when it’s going to be but if people prepare their homes by cutting their grass and cleaning out their gutters it will help a lot,” he said. “If people don’t clean things up around their house we may not be able to save it in a fast-moving re.”
jfranz@ atheadbeacon.com
White sh Moves Forward with Plan to Demolish Depot Park Building O cials will entertain idea of leasing structure to generate revenue
BY TRISTAN SCOTT
The White sh City Council isn’t veer- ing from its plans to demolish the city parks and planning building in Depot Park, although an option to lease the property to generate revenue remains on the table.
Demolition of the building, located in the southwest corner of the park, is the course of action called for in the Depot Park Master Plan, and city council reaf- rmed its recommendation to remove the building in a 4-3 vote on July 5.
In the same vote, the council also decided the city should accept proposals
from groups interested in leasing the space for a ve-year term, agreeing that the city will accept applications for the next four months, after which it could reconsider its decision to permanently remove the building.
Mayor John Muhlfeld broke the tie on the motion to consider lease propos- als, with councilors Frank Sweeney, Jen Frandsen and Katie Williams vot- ing in favor. Councilors Pam Barberis, Andy Feury and Richard Hildner were in opposition.
The decision to entertain the propos- als came after some city o cials said the Depot Park building could be a source of
revenue for the city. City sta estimated a lease on the building could generate as much as $40,000 in revenue annually.
White sh’s Depot Park master plan calls for removing all existing structures within the park, but during discussion earlier this year the council mulled the idea of saving the building and leasing it out to bring in an estimated $35,000 to $40,000 in annual revenue.
The city bought Depot Park in 2008- 09 for $3.8 million in two transactions using tax-increment fund revenue.
The former Depot Park Master Plan Committee met in April to consider the proposal, but did not reach a consensus
about keeping the building.
The pond at Depot Park was recently
removed to make way for green space, and Hildner said the building was an impedi- ment to the future of the parkland.
“I think the idea for parklands is one that is part and parcel for not only this community but really the preservation of parklands as part of our genetics as citi- zens of the United States,” Hildner said. “I think it is incumbent on us as elected o - cials to consider the alternatives but I want to come down on the side of future gener- ations who will be able to enjoy this open space in the center of our community.”
tscott@ atheadbeacon.com
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AUGUST 3, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM