BREAKING NEWS

Blackfeet Tribe Calls State of Emergency

Five Fires Cause Highway Closure & Evacuations

Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Briefs. Discussion »

This Fire was Sparked by a Downed Power Line

BLACKFEET INDIAN RESERVATION - Wild winds are blamed for the spreading of several fires on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Eyewitnesses tell us fires are concentrated near the Browning area all the way to Blackfoot, Montana.

US Highway 2 was closed and people living in some 20 homes were evacuated. The Tribe opened its Tribal Administration Building and was assisted by the Red Cross.

“Every jurisdiction in the area is working on the blaze,”

said Wayne Smith, director of communications for the Tribe.

It is believed the fire was sparked by a downed power line about 5 pm mst, on Wednesday and fueled by high winds nearing 70 mph caused the fire to spread rapidly.

“Local police, fire and EMS crews are everywhere. Responding where they are able to,”

tweeted Shannon James Augare, a state senator from Browning.

“Please keep these individuals in your prayers.”

“People are calling me from Browning and telling me, it is like an inferno out there,”

Debbie McShane, president of the AIM Montana Chapter, told the Native News Network just before midnight.

Various people on facebook were asking for prayers for the people living on the reservation.

posted January 5, 2011 7:20 am est