HOT SPRINGS, Mont. — A fast-moving brush fire in Hot Springs exploded to more than 1,600 acres since it sparked Saturday afternoon.
It started when residential brush burning met dry, windy conditions.
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No homes burned. But the flames crept right up to Cassy Mullings’ family property as night fell.
“It was a panic to get my horses out of here. We got 16 out of horses, and it was a rush to try to get everybody in the trailer. I only got seven on the trailer, and I was being told I got to get off the property. So we had to open up gates and push the rest of the horses out and hope for the best,” Mullings said.
Hot Springs Fire Chief Randy Woods says that shortly after they got on scene, reinforcements were needed.
“Instantly, once I saw the fire and was on scene, I was able to start calling for mutual aid. So we called in multiple departments to come mutual aid us,” Woods said.
“Chief Cliff Fire brought two grass trucks and a water tender. Polson Rural brought three grass trucks and a water tender. Ronan brought a couple grass trucks to help us. And then as the fire went on, the tribal fire management was able to get two of their fire trucks out to us too,” Woods said.
Woods said that a total of 16 fire vehicles and two dozers were deployed to the fire.
All the responding agencies worked until early Sunday morning to contain the fire, which at times was two miles long.
Woods also says that without the mutual aid, it could have been a much different situation.
“With us only having low staffing of nine, 12 people and just three grass trucks to go out there and fight that fire, the mutual aiding with other fire departments in our jurisdictions is very important for us and the other fire departments. They're shorthanded also. So those departments — Chief Cliff, Polson Rural, Ronan — coming to help us was a big deal for us," Woods said.
Emergency management officials are asking residents to hold off on burning brush until there is snow on the ground.
And according to Woods, CSKT Fire Management is currently investigating the cause of the fire and what next steps may be taken.
