BUTTE - Big Sky Fireworks is already set up on Big Butte for the big 3rd of July fireworks display and the Butte Fire Department is set up, there and around town to put out any potential fires once those bad boys go off.
“We have an incident action plan every year to make sure we have hoses in the proper place and we coordinate with the firework company to make sure nothing gets out of hand when the fireworks start going off and fire doesn’t come rolling up the Big M,” said Butte Battalion Chief Chad Silk.
Firefighters rolled out hundreds of feet of hose along the loft of Big Butte where the fireworks are set up in case of fire. They will also water down the vegetation around the hill before the show.
“Make sure that we can do as much as we can beforehand to be proactive instead of trying to get to stuff while fireworks are going off, which is not the safest situation,” said Silk.
This rainy June has been a blessing in delaying this year's wildfire season, but it’s also a bit of a curse because now you have all this tall vegetation all over Big Butte.
“It’s been a good spring so far, but once that heatwave starts to come and starts to dry everything out there’s a lot more vegetation to burn,” said Silk.
Firefighters have already responded to a small grass fire and at least one structure fire blamed on fireworks.
“Be very careful with those fireworks and call 911 as soon as they can and hopefully it will reiterate to people to be as safe as they can and to supervise children during the use of fireworks,” the battalion chief said.
