Essex home destroyed by fire; Lakeside has a 25-acre blaze, too

An Essex home was completely destroyed by fire late Monday afternoon. The fire consumed the home of Fred and Kathy Fekete on U.S. Highway 2 near mile marker 176 and may have been caused by a generator that turned on after the power went out due to a powerline fire earlier in the day.

The Feketes had lived in the house for 28 years, Kathy Fekete said.

Much of Essex was without power due to a smaller fire earlier in the day that involved a downed power line on the side of the highway less than a mile from the Fekete residence.

“I wasn’t home when it started,” Kathy Fekete said, “I guess my husband and niece had just come in. I think it was the generator, and it went up really fast.”

Fred Fekete, his niece, and her family were all in the house when the fire started. They made it out safely, including the family dog.

“All I know is it started on the back porch,” Fekete said.

“The power was out, so there was no pressure in the (water) tank. We didn’t have any water,” Fekete added, “I threw the dog’s bucket of water on it and had to get out. It was so smoky.” Fekete ran back into the kitchen and grabbed his computer and a safe that was still packed from being evacuated last summer due to the nearby Sheep Fire.

The powerline fire earlier in the day meant emergency responders were still in the area. Firefighters from Coram-West Glacier were able to get to the Fekete house within 10 minutes, Fred Fekete said. Firefighters from Martin City also responded.

Forest Service fire crews also arrived to help. The powerline fire earlier in the day was caused when a tree touched the lines due to high winds.

Firefighters were busy due to the winds.

In Lakeside, firefighting crews, helicopters and a retardant bomber responded Monday evening to a wind-driven fire west of Lakeside.

The fire in the area of Lone Wolf Trail and Bierney Creek Road was estimated at 25 acres at 7 p.m. and led to voluntary evacuations of seven structures.

As many as 75 to 100 structures within a half-mile of the fire could be threatened.

Volunteer firefighters from Somers-Lakeside, West Valley and Badrock departments, as well as the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, were battling the fire.

They were assisted by two helicopters and a heavy air tanker.

The fire sent a sizable smoke plume up above Lakeside, and the smoke then drifted across Flathead Lake.

This story also contains reports from the Daily Interlake.