A late-season wildfire tore through the small rural town of Denton, Montana on Dec. 1. The blaze destroyed 24 homes and four grain elevators that had stood for more than a century. Nearly 300 residents were evacuated after the fire was started by a downed power line in a neighboring county. (Photos by Lynn Donaldson and Larry Mayer)
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Photos: Late-season wildfire decimates Denton area
Volunteer fire fighter and farmer Brock Linker, whose family has been in Denton for four generations, is pictured surveying the rubble of his family's grain elevator.
Heading into town from the east on MT Highway 81, a grain elevator smolders on the east side of the highway.
Heading into town from the east on MT Highway 81, a grain elevator smolders on the east side of the highway. One of four elevators is still standing, and many train cars melted into molten puddles.
Only the chimney is still standing at a ranch home west of Denton after the West Wind Fire.
Wolf Creek trestle and bridge were out on MT Hwy 81 after the fire. The Highwood Mountains can be seen in the distance.
Roads in and around the Denton area were closed to traffic after a fire torched 25 structures.Â
A ranch home and outbuildings were lost as the West Wind Fire destroyed parts of Denton and surrounding ranches.Â
Volunteer fire fighter and farmer Brock Linker, whose family has been in Denton for four generations, is pictured surveying the rubble of his family's grain elevator.
Northwestern Energy energy employees worked on a block near the railroad tracks on the south side of Denton.
Firefighters gather early Friday after the West Wind Fire destroyed parts of Denton and surrounding ranches.Â
Fire damage near a Denton school, which holds students K-12.
Square Butte and Round Butte back the smoldering Central Montana Rail, Inc. rail yard on the south edge of Denton
Shops on a ranch near Denton were destroyed by the West Wind Fire.
Smoke rising from the side of MT Hwy 81 after a fire rolled through Denton, decimating the small rural town.Â
Wolf Creek trestle and bridge were closed on MT Hwy 81 following the fire that rolled through the Denton area during a December heat wave.
High winds left a pattern of burned and unburned ranchland as the West Wind Fire destroyed parts of Denton and surrounding ranches.
Volunteer fire fighter and farmer Brock Linker, whose family has been in Denton for four generations, is surveying the fire damage at his family's grain elevator after a fire roared through the area.
Square Butte and Round Butte back the smoldering Central Montana Rail, Inc. rail yard on the south edge of Denton.
The West Wind Fire destroyed parts of Denton and structures on surrounding ranches.
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