August 17, 1996 in City

Emergency Declared In Montana As Wildfires Expected Over Weekend

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Gov. Marc Racicot signed an executive order Friday declaring an emergency in Montana because of wildfires and continuing dry conditions.

It allows mobilization of state resources and the Montana Army National Guard to assist the fire-fighting effort as needed.

Within hours, about 350 Army National Guard members of the 153rd Cavalry’s 2nd Battalion began reporting to armories in various communities. Officials said 200 of them would be sent to Missoula for a weekend of training and then deployed as needed to help fight fires.

The Department of Military Affairs said guard personnel would undergo intensified training on techniques for combating wildland fires and standard survival training.

The guard call-up is is anticipation of “a high wind event which is predicted to begin this weekend and last three to five days,” the department said.

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