Thorne Creek firefighter threatened; evac notices lifted

While fire crews work day and night on the Thorne Creek Fire in Sanders County, area law enforcement officers are working to identify a man who threatened the life of a firefighter Friday in Thompson Falls.

“These people are here to help us,” county Sheriff Tom Rummel said. “Can you imagine what this would be like if they didn’t have anybody to send us? You know what it would be, you and me and a bunch of fat, old guys with pulaskis and the ambulance would probably be running nonstop between here and Plains with a bunch of old duffers with heart attacks.

“So, thank God we have this bunch of people who, although it’s small, have done the best they can,” Rummel said.

Thompson Falls Police Chief Chris Nichols addressed the threat as well as the efforts of Montana National Guard members and fire crews.

“I understand some people are upset and frustrated and even a little bit scared, which is perfectly understandable, especially when you look up at night and see it burning above Thompson Falls, but to threaten someone’s life is not an appropriate way to handle it and to be blunt, it’s just plain rude to treat people like that who have come here and we’ll take care of that.”

Nichols said Thompson Falls police officers are working on the case and he felt fairly confident they would identify the man who made the threats and it would be dealt with appropriately.

He also said Nichols said he feels those people are a vocal minority and he’s grateful for all the public displays of gratitude.

“Thompson Falls is no stranger to wildfires. We’ve had Copper King and others and the crews have been here before and they’ve always fought tirelessly to preserve life and property and this no different. They are here giving it their best.”

Nichols echoed what so many others have said as fire crews are stretched thin while battling blazes totaling millions of acres across the Western United States.

“Fighting the fire is not an easy task, especially with the manpower shortage fire officials are dealing with,” Nichols said. “These Montana National Guard men and women volunteered to come here and they’re Montanans who are very vested in this project and I’m grateful to them all,” Nichols, he a Guardsman, too, said.

Nichols also thanked fire crews, law enforcement from different jurisdictions, Red Cross volunteers, 27 National Guard soldiers providing security and everyone who is working on the fire.

The news of the threat marred otherwise good news about evacuation orders being lifted or cancelled.

The lightning-caused fire is listed at a little less than 22,000 acres but its containment has increased to 16%. A little more than one month after lightning strikes caused dozens of wild fires in Sanders and Mineral counties, only Thorne Creek is still a threat.

But more firefighters, heavy equipment, aerial and ground ignitions and some rain have helped.

Another sign of good news was the end of fire evacuation orders for some of the area on Blue Slide Road.

Sheriff Rummel said the roadblock on Graves Creek Road has been moved up the road to the U.S. Forest Service boundary.

An increase in containment in the northwest area of the fire allowed evacuation orders in Graves Northeast and Graves Southeast to be reduced to evacuation warnings. Evacuation warnings in Graves Northwest and Graves Southwest were also lifted.

Thompson Falls Mayor Mark Sheets said the Incident Command team has been in constant contact with the city about their assets in the Ashley Creek area and walked the lines up there and went to the spring to check everything out before they began ignitions.

“We’d like to thank them for their efforts and staying in contact with us,”

According to U.S. Forest Service officials who spoke at a public meeting Saturday evening in Thompson Falls, the plan for the Thorne Creek blaze was one of necessity and design.

“We’re allowing this fire to burn and it’s a strategic decision,” said Plains Thompson Falls District Ranger Dave Wrobleski. “The Thorne Creek Fire was burning in steep, rugged terrain and we traded acres burned for the safety of our firefighters. There just weren’t enough crews to go build a fire line around it.

“When this started, we had 35 fires on the Plains Thompson Falls and Superior ranger districts, including one in Clear Creek, right upwind of Thompson Falls and some which were pointed right at Superior and St. Regis,” Wrobleski said. “We went after the fires of the highest risk to people and structures and the one we knew we get under control the quickest.”

During the night shift on Aug. 7, a person violated the closure order and was detained by security personnel. The person was later transferred to the custody of local law enforcement.

While cool, wet weather has been a benefit to firefighting efforts, a warmer pattern will mean temperatures returning to the mid and upper 90s after the middle of the week.