South Dakota-based company likely responsible for destructive Montana wildfire

Utilities are not your friends. 

Recall that in 2009 Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based NorthWestern Energy was responsible for a gas explosion in Bozeman, Montana that destroyed several businesses and killed one person. 

The company reported Wednesday morning that the devastating decrease in the Madison River flow that killed native trout was due to its negligence at the Hebgen Dam. 

In 2012 the fast-moving Ash Creek Fire burned bridges on US212 near Ashland and Lame Deer, Montana while another blaze nearby on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, the Coal Seam Fire spread to some 700 acres. In 2017 wildland fires on private ranch land in southeastern Montana dwarfed those on public ground in the western part of the state. The Sartin Draw Fire near Broadus and the Battle Complex near Birney burned at least 100,000 and 185,000 acres respectively, decades of invasive grasses and poor stewardship to blame. Last year the nearly 50,000 acre Huff Fire burned through the white supremacist town of Jordan, known as the home of the Montana Freemen. The Bobcat fire near Roundup in Musselshell County was over 41 square miles in size. 

Today, central Montana is ablaze again because it’s overrun with dry invasive cheatgrass but as a Republican stronghold it avoids criticism from Republicans. The West Wind Fire is about 60% contained.

Crews continue to secure lines around the perimeter and extinguish any hot spots. Initial assessments show the blaze destroyed 25 primary residences, 18 secondary structures and 6 commercial properties. A NorthWestern Energy spokesperson said late Thursday that the utility is helping investigate the possibility that a strong wind event downed a line southwest of Denton and started the West Wind fire. [Montana Public Radio]

The Big Stone Power Plant in northeastern South Dakota is owned by Otter Tail Power, Montana-Dakota Utilities and NorthWestern Energy. This monster burns 3,500 tons of subbituminous coal every hour so those companies spend millions every year greasing Republican politicians and poisoning waterways. 

NorthWestern Energy is expected to be sued once again for its undying commitment to moral hazard.

A word about climate change. This happened on Wednesday, Dec 2 in central Montana. It was 60 degrees F at 1:30 am when this started the wind was 50-60 mph. There should be about a foot of snow on the ground but instead this
West Wind Fire, Denton Montana half the town burned pic.twitter.com/sXjVnw26tx

— Betty L Sanders (@bstnky1) December 4, 2021