RAVALLI COUNTY — Thursday, July 24, was a normal day at the Lost Horse Lodge, until the afternoon when the Observation Point Fire broke out just upslope from them.
Workers were some of the first to report the blaze, as leaders of the kitchen went to grab shovels to try to stop the burn.
"A lady showed up on her ATV and asked us to call the sheriff's department because there was a fire started," Lost Horse Lodge Sous-Chef Joseph Stanford said.
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However, the fire went from five acres to 20, to 50 acres rapidly. Soon, the U.S. Forest Service and local fire agencies were on the scene.
All the cabins at the Lost Horse Lodge were quickly evacuated, with many workers even helping get guests to safety before leaving themselves.
"I was the last one leaving. There's a house right across the street and the fire is right on the hill right behind it. I've got pictures of that. It took me a good hour and a half to get out of here after I finally got kicked out, making sure that everybody was safe," Stanford said.
As a thank you, the Lost Horse Lodge has been feeding fire crews as well as posting signs showing their appreciation.
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