Dear Editor: Thanks to Neighbors

Dear Editor,

Around 6pm on Sunday, April 18th, I headed up to our MT Web business location on Noble Street. When I pulled up the hill, I saw a fire with flames about three feet high spreading south rapidly through the grass. I called my wife and told her to call the fire department while I began to stomp at the edge of it to keep it from spreading. However, it jumped the alley with a big gust of wind, carrying it to Chris & Gretchen Tavenner’s lawn. I ran over and began stomping the area out, got two areas put out, then began working on the main part again.

Multiple cars came up and five neighbors had come to help. One came with some blankets and we all began putting out the fire. We, as a team, had the fire out, except the original smoldering/flaming area, when the sheriff, ambulance and then fire trucks arrived on scene.

I want to thank the neighbors who jumped in to help put the fire out. This is a wonderful town with wonderful people! I didn’t get their names, but want to thank them for their quick action, helping prevent a much larger fire with much bigger consequences with the strong winds also in play.

Joel Andrews

Whitehall, Montana