Lightning strikes, stolen car ablaze make for Monday madness
Despite the heavy downpour of rain that accompanied Monday afternoon’s cold front system, the moisture was not enough to thwart several fires around the county.
The 911 calls started late in the afternoon and came in fast and furious.
Columbus fire crews were first called out at 3:17 p.m. for a lightning strike that sparked a blaze near a home on Yellowstone Drive in the Columbus area.
Eight minutes later, Park City fire crews scrambled to just east on a 911 fire call in which open flames could be seen. Laurel fire crews also responded to find a stolen car ablaze, according to the Stillwater County Sheriff’s Office dispatch records. Yellowstone County authorities took that scene over as it fell in their jurisdication.
Twenty minutes later, the 911 lines rang again as Columbus Fire Rescue was sent to Whitebird Creek Road on a report of a tree smoking.
Things settled down until shortly after 7 p.m. when crews were dispatched to a tree smoking from a lightning strike on Highway 10, and the same scenario at 9:02 p.m. on Divide Road.
Last Wednesday, July 22, lightning sparked a 15 to 20 acre brush fire in the Reed Point area at 3:29 p.m. Rapelje and Columbus fire crews arrived on scene to find several landowners battling the blaze. Crews were clear from the scene by 6:13 p.m., but returned at 6:52 p.m. when wind reignited the fire. The scene was cleared again at 7:09 p.m.
Earlier that same day, Molt fire crews were called to help with a haystack on fire at 9:53 a.m. in the area of Shorey Road and Molt Road. Fire crews responded and handed the property back over to the land owner at 2:47 p.m.
The newly implemented burn permit system was shut down Monday and Tuesday in anticipation of the wind and lighting the cold front was expected to bring, said Fire Warden Carol Arkell.
Rain totals for Monday’s storm were as follows (according to the National Weather Service):
Absarokee: .65 inches
Columbus: .35 inches
Park City: .24 inches
Reed Point: .32 inches
Forecast
Hot, dry weather was expected to return by Thursday, with a high of 89 degrees. The mercury will crawl back up into the 90s Friday through Sunday with no chance of moisture, according to the National Weather Service.