Fire crews successfully contained a detached barn fire late Tuesday night in the Rhodes Draw area of Flathead County, according to West Valley Fire Rescue.
The department says crews were dispatched around 10:51 p.m. on Jan. 27 to reports of a structure fire. When firefighters arrived, they found a detached barn fully involved, located about 20 feet from a nearby home.
Due to the intensity of the fire and the possible presence of fuel and other hazardous materials inside the barn, incident command implemented a defensive firefighting strategy and requested a second alarm. Fire suppression efforts focused on containing the fire and protecting the adjacent residence.
West Valley Fire Rescue says the fire was contained to the barn and the nearby home was not damaged. The fire was knocked down shortly after 12:17 a.m. on Jan. 28, after which crews transitioned to overhaul and mop-up operations. One West Valley fire unit remained on scene overnight to monitor for hot spots.
