Fire razes Echo Lake home
A home near the northeastern shore of Echo Lake caught fire Thursday morning. The Bigfork Fire Department was the first to respond to scene, finding the structure engulfed in flames upon arrival.
The owner of the home reported the fire after seeing flames emanating from the second floor of the home while working in his waterfront office.
A firefighter sprays a water hose onto the fire.
An Echo Lake home was reduced to a steaming pile of burned wood and metal Thursday morning after a fire destroyed the two-story structure.
About 20 firefighters with the Bigfork, Creston and Ferndale fire departments responded to the blaze shortly after 9:40 a.m.
Bigfork Fire Capt. Katie Edwards said the home, located on Echo Cabin Loop on the northeast shore of the lake, was fully engulfed in flames when emergency responders arrived on the scene.
Edwards said firefighters took a defensive approach, focusing on preventing the flames from spreading to nearby property.
No one was in the home at the time, and Edwards said no people or animals were injured.
The owner of the home was working in a waterfront office on the same property when he saw fire and smoke emanating from the second story and called 911, she said.
It took between 10 and 15 minutes for firefighters to establish a water supply that could be trucked down the gravel road leading to the home. They staged at a nearby Echo Lake fishing access and pumped water into tenders that were then taken to the fire. Approximately 6,000 gallons of water were used, according to firefighters at the scene.
“It was a very calm and flowing scene,” Edwards said. “It wasn’t chaotic.”
Firefighters plan to investigate the cause of the blaze. It’s believed to have started on the second floor, Edwards said.
The fire underscores on ongoing effort by the Bigfork Fire Department to educate rural homeowners on the importance of having clearly marked roads and access points in the event such a blaze.
“We just want to get people to get their addresses out on the road so we can see them quickly,” Bigfork Fire Chief Wayne Loeffler said.
Reporter Eric Schwartz may be reached at 758-4441 or by e-mail at eschwartz@dailyinterlake.com.