Multiple fires break out near Superior

Monday, August 22 started with a small fire burning next to the east bound on-ramp near Alberton. The call came in at 8 a.m. and emergency crews quickly responded and doused the flames by 9 a.m.

At 3 p.m. the Superior Fire Department received a call regarding multiple fires on Mullan Road east.  The road is located across the bridge in Superior, heading east toward the Mineral County airport. A steep mountain follows the road on the north side, which then opens into a field. Further down, across Johnson Creek, houses line both sides of the road.

The day was windy and dry and when emergency crews arrived, a fire was creeping up the raven on the north side, where the mountain is steep.  Across the road, near the river, is the Big Eddy Fishing Access.  About a quarter mile away, another fire burned along the field belonging to Roger Brockway. It burned along the fence line, nearly reaching a hay barn.

Three more fires dotted the fence line along the field. Across Johnson Creek, the fire that became the focal point was burning near homes. The sign for the Alberton Ridge Runners Arena on Saddle Club Road, was burning, along with trees, and fence posts.

Superior Volunteer Fire Department Chief Rob Torrey said five fires were reported between the Big Eddy Fishing Access to Shadow Club Road. Jim Ward, with the Forest Service said the fires were dubbed the Big Eddy, Welch fires, and the Johnson Creek fire.

A helicopter with a water bucket was assigned the Big Eddy, while crews on the ground focused on the Johnson Creek fire as the priority because homes were immediately threatened.

Bill and Joanie Merriman were in Missoula for a doctor’s appointment when they received a call from a neighbor telling them there was fire near their home.  They raced back to find more than 20 firefighters, volunteers and neighbors fighting a fire that was licking at their dog house and shed. Only a few feet away was a full propane tank, next to their house located at 72 Saddle Club Road.

“If the house burned down, we would have lost all of our belonging, our family photos, and our two dogs were in the house,” Joanie said, pointing to her little Pomeranian pup.

Emergency crews with the Forest Service, Superior Fire Department, the Montana Highway Department, Sheriff’s Department, and the Mineral County Local Emergency Response members, fought the fires for over three hours. Mop up efforts continued until around 8 p.m.

The Merriman’s were so grateful for the efforts of the fire crews that they posed in photos with their hero’s. Joanie also gave them six loaves of her special Amish Friendship Bread.

As fire crews stomped out the last of the smoldering debris, the couple sat on their porch, which overlooks the Clark Fork Valley. The sun began to dip down behind the mountains and the area smelled like a campfire.

“We just finished building this porch,” Bill said.

“We stained it three days ago,” Joanie followed up.

Sitting at a small table, drinking a much needed glass of red wine, Bill said that after the last big fire in the area in 2013, he had put in an asphalt drive and walk way as a fire barrier. They also have an aluminum roof and cut back brush around the area.

The couple is in their mid-80’s and they moved there 16 years ago.

“Everything is in this house. If we lost it, what would we do?” he said. “We were just talking the other day about how lucky we are to have this place, and that we can still maintain it.”

Josh Stroot, who is the son of Jerry Stroot who owns Superior Meats, came up to the porch. He’s young, sporting a bear, and wore a yellow, soot-stained shirt. He tells the couple that they had the fire out and would be leaving. He visited with the elderly couple for a while about mutual family and friends.

Stroot said they would be checking back tomorrow to make sure everything was O.K. and that an investigator would be in the area, as well.

Bill said not only was he impressed with the quick response to the fires, but also that the crews took the time to visit and let them know what was going on in the process.

On Wednesday, Jim Ward, with the Forest Service, said that an investigator with the U.S. Forest Service was on the scene on Tuesday and that the cause of the fires are still undetermined.  Also, if people see anything suspicious or unusual, they should report it to the authorities.

On Tuesday, Superior Fire Department spokesman, Nathan Lapinski posted on Facebook, “good coordination between all the different agencies helped get the fire contained relatively quickly given the wind and critical fire conditions present at the time of the fires. Another safe and successful day.”

Followed by a thread of “thank you’s” by fellow community members.

This reporter also walked away with a loaf of Joanie’s special Amish Friendship Bread, which by the way, was delicious!