February fires claim sheep, a barn and 75 acres last week

Six sheep were killed in a barn fire on Noble Lane outside of Columbus last week.
A 911 structure fire call came into dispatch last Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 9:47 p.m. in which a resident reported her barn was on fire, according to Stillwater County Sheriff’s Dispatch records.
Inside the barn were three ewes and three lambs, all of which perished, said Columbus Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Nick Jacobs. The blaze was apparently started by one of the sheep knocking over a heat lamp.
Jacobs said the barn was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived on scene and it was a total loss. Also lost in the fire was feed and tac, as well as damage to a horse trailer, said Jacobs.
Columbus Fire Rescue responded to the scene and turned it back over to the resident at 11:54 p.m.
Last Friday, strong winds were blamed for a grass and brush fire on Nye Road.
Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office dispatchers received two calls on Friday, Feb. 6, from residents about the fire at 903 Nye Road shortly before 9:30 p.m. Callers reported the fire, which was on the north side of the road, was about a half mile long and was approaching timber. No structures were involved. Fire departments in Nye and Absarokee were dispatched.
Absarokee Volunteer Fire Department Assistant Chief Josh Boyce said the fire was caused by wind gusts that snapped a power pole. The downed electrical lines started the fire.
The fire was reported to have already engulfed 18 to 20 acres when firefighters arrived on the scene. Columbus Fire Rescue was requested for Type 6 engines. Shortly before 10 p.m. Absarokee made a county-wide mutual aid request.
An hour later firefighters on scene reported that the fire had grown to between 150 and 200 acres, according to dispatch records.
The fire was reported controlled, but not contained, around 1 a.m. on Saturday. It was not contained until after noon. Two engines were left at the scene to patrol the area. Boyce said the fire department was finished at the scene around 6 p.m. on Saturday.
The fire, which occurred near mile post nine on the Nye Road, burned approximately 75 acres. Firefighters from Absarokee, Columbus, Park City, and Nye battled the blaze.