Cleanup takes time

The Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead Electric Cooperative is repairing snapped utility poles and cutting trees off of power lines, but removing greenery felled on private property by last week's storm is up to each homeowner.

And almost a week after the storm, cleanup for many homeowners continues.

"We've definitely seen an influx of green waste going into container sites," said Dave Prunty, director of Flathead County Solid Waste Disposal. "We're feeling the influx of waste from the storm."

The torrent of branches and tree trunks coming into the Flathead County landfill is continuing into this week, Prunty said.

"In some instances, it's been a struggle for us to get it all emptied," he said.

Dorothy Hewitt, 84, who lives on U.S. 93 south of Kalispell, still is trying to get the 30-year-old willow tree in her yard cut up into pieces and removed.

Knocked over by the storm, the tree has an exposed gas line tangled in its roots. Hewitt was forced to evacuate her house.

Overworked crews have made some progress on the tree, but not enough to allow Hewitt to move back home. And once authorities remove enough of the tree to mitigate any danger, the rest will be left up to Hewitt.

"Luckily she has family, otherwise she wouldn't be able to do it on her own," said Hewitt's granddaughter, Alicia Hewitt.

Trees and bushes tossed in county green-box sites get mixed in with other garbage and end up in the landfill, but green waste taken directly to the dump is separated and can be recycled, Prunty said.