Lightning strikes two firefighters

The Daily Inter Lake

Two members of the Flathead National Forest Hot Shot Fire Crew were struck by lightning Thursday afternoon while working on a prescribed burn west of Whitefish in the Tally Lake Ranger District.

The lightning strike occurred shortly after 1 p.m. near the intersection of Star Meadow and Logan Creek roads about three miles west of Tally Lake. The firefighters reportedly were near but not inside their vehicle when they were hit.

Two trees next to the firefighters also were struck, and authorities aren't sure whether the firefighters were hit directly or the lightning struck the trees before jumping to the firefighters, according to Denise Germann, Flathead Forest public information officer.

The ALERT helicopter transported one of the firefighters, a 25-year-old woman, to Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The Whitefish Fire Department transported the second firefighter, a 29-year-old man, to North Valley Hospital.

Both firefighters were in stable condition Thursday evening.