Missoula Deputies Giving Evacuation Warnings to over 800 Homes

In the next 24 hours, over 800 Missoula homes in danger of flooding will be receiving evacuation warnings from Missoula County Sheriff’s deputies.

Public Information Officer Brenda Bassett said the area affected has been divided into five zones.

“Our deputies are going out, they’re making contact with approximately 800 residences in that area,” said Bassett. “Right now, they’ve got about two of those zones done in terms of making contact, so time permitting, they’re hoping to move into zone five as quickly as they can.”

Bassett said this notice is an evacuation warning, not a mandatory evacuation.

“This is an evacuation warning, so we’re just saying you need to start taking those precautionary measures,” she said. “If you need to get livestock out, if you need medications or special assistance, you need to start making those plans now. We always encourage people to self-evacuate in times like this because, with fires, they’re fairly predictable, but floods are very unpredictable.”

Incident Public Information Officer Mel Holtz with Frenchtown Fire said there is a large area that will be impacted by the flooding.

“It’s definitely a large area that’s being impacted,” he said. “We’re talking about having flooded areas greater than we did back in 2011, and so we anticipate that the flood levels will pick up here within the next day or two, so we’re monitoring that situation, as well.

Holtz said the county is receiving valuable assistance from other agencies.

“The Army Corps of Engineers has arrived with some technical advisers and they’re showing up with some more engineers and advisers to do some surveying, as well,” he said. “The two technical advisers that were here this morning have headed up to the Seeley Lake area are currently surveying the flooding in that area.”

Bassett said when deputies attempt to make contact with homeowners, if no one responds, a written notice is placed on the front door of the residence.

There are no mandatory evacuations planned at this time.