East Fork Fire Information

UPDATE 08/21/2023 9:00 AM

We are excited to see wet and colder weather moving into our area. LEC and BPA remain on high alert and are ready to respond quickly if a request to do so is received from the USFS.

For fire updates, like/follow the U.S. Forest Service - Kootenai National Forest Facebook page or visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtknf-east-fork-fire#

For emergency news in Lincoln County, like/follow the Lincoln County Emergency Management Agency Facebook page or visit https://lincolncountymt.us/emergency-management-home/. You can sign up for Lincoln County CodeRED alerts at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFD8675274C8

For emergency news in Flathead County like/follow the Flathead OES Facebook page or visit https://flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/oes. You can sign up for Flathead County CodeRED alerts at https://public.coderedweb.com/CNE/en-US/BFB7CC4C6C0A

UPDATE 08/19/2023 10:30 AM

LEC and BPA have been in constant communication with the USFS Incident Management Team on the East Fork Fire. Although residents near Olney were evacuated near LEC overhead lines last night, we have not received a request to de-energize any of our facilities. BPA has not been notified that a power outage on their transmission line is a necessary measure at this time.

Per the Incident Management Team, Highway 93 remains open and there are no current plans to close it. However, drivers travelling through the areas should be aware it is smoky and they are asked to respect the posted decreased speed limit signs.

The Incident Management Team is hosting a public meeting on the fire at Trego School on Saturday, August 19, at 7:00 p.m. LEC will have representatives in attendance to answer questions. It will also be broadcast via Facebook Line on the U.S. Forest Service - Kootenai National Forest Facebook page.

UPDATE 08/18/2023 4:30 PM

There has been a mandatory evacuation order from Flathead County for some residents near Olney. Please visit https://flathead.mt.gov/department-directory/oes for more information on the evacuation. USFS has not yet contacted LEC or BPA to inform us the fire has reached the action point. We will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available.

UPDATE 08/18/2023 9:00 AM

LEC attended the USFS fire briefing this morning. The importance of the BPA transmission line was reiterated to firefighting personnel. They will continue to fight the fire with the safety of employees and the public their top priority. For more detailed information on the fire, please visit https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/mtknf-east-fork-fire#.

UPDATE 08/17/2023 7:55 PM

At this time, neither Lincoln Electric nor BPA has been given a request by the USFS to de-energize our facilities and we do not plan on doing so unless we receive that request.

At the planning meeting, the USFS communicated that they have established an action point for the East Fork Fire. If fire activity reaches the action point, LEC and BPA would be placed on standby. At that time, LEC would provide updates here and send automated calls to our members to be prepared for the potential of a system-wide outage. Length of the possible outage would be based on fire conditions and a damage assessment.

We have been working in cooperation with the USFS Incident Command Team assigned to the fire and the Lincoln County Emergency Management Department. If an extended outage is anticipated, LC Emergency Management would work to coordinate sheltering and critical facilities, as well as provide updates when available.

08/17/2023 4:00 PM

Lincoln Electric was asked to attend a planning meeting tonight (Thursday, August 17) with the USFS fire incident command for the East Fork Fire. We do not have any information beyond what is publicly available.

We have been in contact with Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), who was also asked to attend the meeting. Both Lincoln Electric and BPA have NO immediate plans to de-energize any of our facilities, UNLESS we receive a specific request to do so by incident command in the interest of safety.

We will update here as we have more information.

Safety Reminder:

Please do not attach anything to our poles. The staples, nails, and tacks used to hang signs, fliers, and other objects create safety hazards for our linemen. It also costs our members more money as we must spend extra time removing obstacles from poles before work can be done safely. Thank you for your help keeping our linemen safe!

Propane Appliance Rebate Program*

In October 2023, Lincoln Electric will see a large wholesale power increase from Bonneville Power Administration (BPA). This will especially impact the electricity we use above the amount allotted to us in our contract with BPA. One component of the wholesale power bill that continues to rise is the demand charge. Although we add a $2.50 per kilowatt demand charge on our residential bills, the amount we are charged by BPA far exceeds that amount. The wholesale demand charge also increases during the winter months when our demand is at its peak.

To help keep our wholesale power bill in check, we would like to encourage our members to consider propane when choosing new or replacement appliances. Propane is an extremely efficient and readily available fuel. The biggest benefit to Lincoln Electric and our members, however, is how low the electric demand is for propane appliances. A transition to more propane appliances could greatly impact the demand we are billed by BPA. For example, replacing just one electric furnace with a maximum rating of 15 kW could shave nearly $170 off our wholesale power bill just for the month of December. Annually, that could be as much as $800. Multiply that by 100 furnaces and you begin to see the incredible effect demand has on our power costs.

As additional encouragement to consider propane alternatives, we are now offering rebates to members who install propane appliances. Rebates are applicable only for new residential appliances to either replace an existing electric appliance or install in new construction. The applicant must be an active member of Lincoln Electric and the appliance must be installed in a home or accessory building with an active Lincoln Electric service. To apply for the rebate, please return your completely filled out rebate application form, including the installer and safety inspection portions, and provide proof of appliance purchase within the previous 12 months. For more details, please see the attached application.

*Program subject to change at any time at Lincoln Electric Cooperative, Inc.'s discretion without notice.