Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Wildfire Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County officials press for investigation after repeated fires under powerlines near Opportunity
Summary
Fire Chief Cody Tocher and CEO Bill Everett told commissioners that multiple recent fires near Opportunity started beneath power poles and eyewitnesses reported arcing; officials asked the county attorney and commission to consider a third-party investigation and press the utility for inspections.
Anaconda Fire Chief Cody Tocher and Chief Executive Officer Bill Bill Everett told the Anaconda-Deer Lodge County Commission on Aug. 4 that multiple fires this summer began beneath utility poles near the community of Opportunity, and eyewitnesses reported visible arcing on lines.
"Guys, where the fires are starting are in the exact same place, it's right underneath the powerlines," CEO Everett said, urging action after three incidents over the past three years. Chief Tocher said dispatch reports and eyewitnesses identified arcing dropping onto dry grass and that a 2021 Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) investigation had previously examined a similar incident. "We printed off three that we determined were caused by the powerlines," Tocher said, adding that rapid response this weekend stopped a blaze at the railroad tracks before it reached Opportunity.
Commissioners and legal staff discussed next steps. County Attorney Morgan Smith said she needed more specifics before advising on liability or legal remedies. "This is news to me today, so I apologize I'm not in a spot to give you a whole lot of answers, but I have a whole lot of questions, Chief," she said. Chair Kevin Hart and Commissioner Ed Beaudette urged collecting eyewitness statements and 9-1-1 recordings and pressing the utility for maintenance records. CEO Everett asked the commission whether the county should hire an independent investigator to corroborate the fire department's findings.
Officials stressed the risk if a fire breaches initial containment. Chief Tocher warned that at night or with high wind, a breakaway fire "we might not be as fortunate" to stop it at the tracks. Commissioners asked staff to pursue additional evidence, recommend whether to hire third-party experts, and to coordinate with DNRC and the Forest Service if needed. No formal action was taken at the meeting beyond the discussion and a request that staff follow up.
