[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 157 (Tuesday, November 9, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S14398]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    FOREST FIRES IN EASTERN MONTANA

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, when a hurricane engulfs the Eastern 
seaboard or an earthquake shatters the lives of Californians, we reach 
out with compassion to those people who are affected. America's hearts 
and minds always turn to those who are adversely impacted by these 
events.
  I bring to your attention a devastating natural disaster that 
recently struck the Eastern portion of my home State, Montana. On 
Halloween night, it seems as if Mother Nature played a frightening 
trick on many rural Montanans. A storm below out of the Rocky Mountains 
and onto the plains of the short grass prairie with winds in excess of 
70 miles per hour.
  These violent winds stoked several prairie fires. The wild fires 
immediately became uncontrolled infernos as they are driven along by 
the gusts, in some cases the wall of flames spanning many miles.
  The tiny town of Outlook, MT, was evacuated in the face of this 
unmanageable fire. Unfortunately, the town itself was laid to waste in 
the wake of the flames. Thankfully, due to the early evacuation and 
quick response of the authorities, no lives were lost.
  Two hundred and fifty miles south of Outlook another town was facing 
the same fate. The rural community of Ekalaka was also under evacuation 
orders. A different fire of the same magnitude was moving toward town 
as it was swept ahead of the horrific winds. This fire spared the 
community but still left ruin in its wake. It is estimated that ten to 
twenty sections of good winter grazing land has been destroyed along 
with miles of fences and corrals. That is between 6,400 and 12,800 
acres that producers will not be able to use for winter feed. The 
increased costs of buying hay to feed livestock will put a great burden 
on ranchers already experiencing financial hardship within their 
industry.
  Not only were these two communities impacted, there were several 
other communities in Eastern Montana that sustained damage due to 
fires. I offer my sincere gratitude to all of those who worked so 
diligently to fight these fires and save property and lives.
  We now have Montanans facing the onset of winter, homeless, without 
the security of their places of business, and agricultural producers, 
without feed for their livestock. Just as we unite together for those 
who are struck by other natural disasters, I hope that you will join 
with me in support of these Montanans, who lost not only their homes 
but their livelihoods.
  Entire communities have been adversely affected by this unforeseen 
emergency and I will be watching closely to see that these folks 
receive the aid needed to rebuild their lives. Montanans have suffered 
great losses no less devastating than the hurricanes on the East Coast 
and they too deserve a helping hand in their time of need.
  My thoughts and prayers go out to each and every individual whose 
lives are in disarray due to this sudden tragedy.

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