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LIBBY- A district judge ruled Wednesday the Cabinet View Fire Department can only respond to structure and wildland fire calls, ending a lawsuit over whether the department could continue operating.

The fire department wanted to act as first responders to medical service calls until the Libby Ambulance could arrive and take over, but Lincoln County commissioners claimed the department failed to obtain a license to handle medical calls.

Cabinet View Fire Department representatives said the county wouldn't sign a transport or dispatch agreement. The debate led to a lawsuit, and yesterday a judge ruled in the county's favor, meaning the Cabinet View Fire Board has no authority to expand services without county approval.

"I think it's a sigh of relief to everyone involved on both sides just so we can kind of have an understanding," Lincoln County Sheriff Roby Bowe. "And we'll be able to start from scratch, and hopefully rebuild, start the healing process and be able to move forward."

The Cabinet View Fire Department can still gather signatures to sign a petition to possibly gain more control over services and county commissioners could allow the department to fully service the area if 226 signatures are gathered from service area residents.