Evacuation order lifted for residents near Horn Fire in Montana
Seth Ratliff
UPDATE August 15, 8 a.m.: Madison County Sheriff’s office in Montana has lifted the evacuation order, and Montana Highway 87 has reopened for travel. Some county roads in the area remain closed.
ORIGINAL STORY:
MADISON COUNTY, Montana (KIFI) — The Horn Fire, burning along Montana State Highway 87, has grown to an estimated 2,150 acres, prompting mandatory evacuation orders for several areas and a road closure. Residents east of Montana Highway 87 and south of US Highway 287 are being directed to evacuate immediately.
Meanwhile, residents across the Idaho/Montana border in Fremont County, Idaho, have reported receiving reverse 911 calls related to the fire. Fremont County Emergency Management has clarified that these calls are a “technology issue” and that there is no current threat to Idaho.
“This is a technology issue, and there is no threat to Fremont County. Please ignore these calls,” Fremont County Emergency Management Coordinator Keith Richey said in an email to Local News 8.
An evacuation warning, which advises residents to prepare for a potential evacuation, has been issued for those on the west side of Montana Highway 87 in the far southern end of Madison County and for residents on the Madison River Ranch.
Montana State Highway 87 has been closed due to the fire. Authorities are directing travelers to use alternate routes to avoid the area.