KPAX: Bullock and Tester get first hand look at Lolo fire destruction

Both Senator Jon Tester and Governor Steve Bullock made an unannounced visit to base camp for briefing on what is the most dangerous fire in the state this year, forcing hundreds from their homes.

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, the U.S. Forest Service and local agencies explained how the fire made two big runs this week, going from only a few hundred acres to a burn scarring more than 8,000 acres.

“Look, this is a very serious fire, the top fire in the country right now. Making sure these folks have the resources, and resources are very thin because there’s fires going all over the west. But making sure they have the resources is critically important,” Sen. Tester explained.

Both men were given a first hand tour to see how critical the situation remains. We went along and looked over homes turned from Western Montana showplaces to smoking rubble in just a few hours, as two independent blazes merged.