Gianforte visits firefighters returned from California
Bigfork firefighters Tom Pauley and Jesse Barretto talk with Gov. Greg Gianforte at the Whitefish Fire Department on Feb. 12. Gianforte came to commend the crews' efforts in Palisades, California earlier this year. (Kelsey Evans/Whitefish Pilot)
Gov. Greg Gianforte visited the Whitefish Fire Department last week to thank firefighters who recently returned from their deployment to southern California to aid in the state’s fire response.
The four-person team sent by the Bigfork Fire Department consisted of engine boss Tom Pauley, Jesse Barreto, Shaney Fox and Paul Friend. Whitefish also sent a crew of four to help. Forty-two firefighters from across Montana went to California from fire departments in Big Sky, Columbus, Corvallis, Missoula, Red Lodge, Bigfork, Butte, Central Valley, Plains-Paradise, and Whitefish. A Montana Department of Natural Resources mechanic also supported Montana’s response.
Montana firefighters were assigned to support structure protection and patrol permitters to prevent spot fires. The fighters shared that, during their efforts, winds were up to 60 miles per hour.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, in early January, a fire erupted in a Los Angeles neighborhood which spread to multiple fires across southern California, burning over 57,000 acres.Montana Disaster and Emergency Services received a request from the State of California through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a resource sharing agreement between states. Firefighters were deployed in mid-January for a period of 14 days.
“When the devastating fires hit southern California last month, Montana firefighters answered the call for support,” Gianforte said. “As Montanans, we help our neighbors. I was honored to visit with a few of the Whitefish and Bigfork firefighters who deployed last month to support fellow Americans in need.”