The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

It was a scorching day, over 100 degrees, with a strong wind of plus 20 miles an hour. Red flags warning were out when the fire alarm went off in Big Sandy. It was the kind of day that everyone needed to respond.

The rumor was that it was arson because the fire was so sporadic. However, it was started by a contractor working on a cabin formerly owned by Keith Edwards and now owned by a relative. It was purely unintentional. He couldn't stop it and drove immediately to a place where there was better reception for his cell phone and reported it. It was the only building destroyed in Eagle Creek Valley.

As of Sunday, the fire is still going, so the estimate given to me of 8,200 acres will most likely increase. Fire Chief Larry Ophus told me there were 150 firefighters and five airplanes, including two helicopters and one jet. They also used eight dozers, plus all the local neighbor's efforts. The fire was in Chouteau, Hill, Rocky Boy, and moving.

Firefighters came from numerous communities. I won't try to name them because no one had all the communities that quickly turned up to help. And I don't want to forget anyone.

Craig Edwards told me, "the Big Sandy fire department has done an incredible job up there." He was "very impressed with their tenacity. They have both balls and brains!"

The helicopters showed up on Sunday after it blew up again at 85 degrees with a 15-mile-an-hour SW wind. We could see the mountains clearly on Sunday morning, but by the afternoon, the mountains were once again covered with smoke. It was challenging to be outside because the smoke was once again thick.