D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA N A • S U M M E R 2 0 1 8
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Last summer, Joe came calling to the Bitterroot Valley. In
mid-July, a fire started on the back side of Lolo Peak, deep in the
wild and well beyond human interventions. It stayed there, quietly
eating the brush and clearing the forest floor, and drawing some
attention with its small plume of smoke, but not causing alarm.
en Mariah appeared. She whipped the flames into a fury, sent it
to the tree tops, and blew it over Lantern Ridge. What began as a
small wilderness fire was suddenly a roaring monster racing towards
highways and towns, filling the valley with thick smoke, raining
ash, and sending people scurrying to move livestock and protect
property. Everyone mobilized.
Dunrovin Ranch knew exactly what to do. is was not Dunr-
ovin's first fire drill, nor will it be its last. Over the years, Dunrovin
has learned valuable lessons about facing the imminent dangers
of fire. e two most important tenets of dealing with wildfire
are to help each other and start early. Fires are community affairs.
by SUZANNE MILLER
WHEN
COMES
FIRE
CALLING
Smoke from the 2013 Lolo Creek Fire
TAMAR KASBERG
"T
HE RAIN IS TESS, THE FIRE'S JOE, AND THEY CALL THE WIND MARIAH." So go the lyrics written by Alan J. Lerner for the
song "Mariah." All three are feared for their destructive powers and welcomed for their rejuvenating forces. Yet, they play prominent
roles in shaping Montana's landscapes and ecosystems.
