THOMPSON FALLS - An emergency declaration has been issued in Sanders County due to area wildfires.
The emergency declaration for the fires was issued so the county could enact its Emergency Operation Plan in case evacuations are needed.
The declaration will "enable the County to use funds from the emergency fund if needed," Sanders County Emergency Manager Bill Naegeli noted in an email sent to MTN News.
The declaration states that evacuation notices are being considered for residents in the area of the Government Fire.
The blaze is part of the Bull Gin Complex which has burned over 1,000 acres two miles northeast of Heron.
The Bull Gin Complex is comprised of three wildland fires — the Government Fire, the Billiard Fire, and the Isabella Lake Fire.
- Government Fire: 313 acres (approximately 2 miles NE of Noxon, MT)
- Billiard Fire: 574 acres (approximately 2 miles NE of Heron, MT)
- Isabella Lake Fire: 179 acres (Cabinet Mountains Wilderness)
A public meeting has been scheduled for Thursday at the Noxon Volunteer Fire Department to discuss the complex of fires beginning at 7 p.m.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated a "state of emergency" had been implemented in Sanders County. That was incorrect. An emergency declaration has been issued.
