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The 530 News starts now on Q2, Montana's News Station.
The city of Billings is being blamed for damages caused by a wildfire that scorched more than a thousand acres in a Billings subdivision.
Also tonight we'll take you to the two biggest Fourth of July events happening in Yellowstone County.
And good evening to you. Happy Fourth of July. I'm Nikki Lorenzo.
One of those stories in just a moment, but first breaking news.
Several residents in Stillwater County have been evacuated after a wildfire sparked near a subdivision earlier this afternoon.
Q2's Amanda Benegas is in the newsroom tonight with the details. Amanda?
Well, Nikki, I just spoke with the Stillwater County Sheriff's Office and they tell me firefighters have gotten a handle on the blaze
and that the wildfire outside of Columbus is now contained.
Now the fire is burning near the Hearts and Diamonds subdivision, which is located off Countryman Creek Road.
All residents in that subdivision have been evacuated and we're told that fire is burning close to a few of the homes.
Firefighters from Columbus, Jolieta, Zorky, Reid Point and Red Lodge are on the scene fighting that blaze.
The fire started about 1.20 this afternoon and has burned about 70 acres so far.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs and DNRC are also out on the scene assisting by air and on the ground.
We'll continue to bring you more information on the story as it becomes available. Back to you, Nikki.
Alright, thank you very much, Amanda. We'll bring you the latest on the story as well on KTVQ.com.
Well, we want to recap a story we brought to you first.
Late last night, a lawsuit has been filed against the City of Billings and the Billings Fire Department
for property and equipment that was damaged during a wildfire at the Reberg Ranch Estates two years ago.
The complaint was filed Friday in Yellowstone County District Court.
The plaintiff, Reberg Ranch LLC, is accusing the Billings Fire Department
of breaching its duty of care during a wildfire that burned more than 1100 acres in the subdivision in July of 2008.
According to court documents, the plaintiff says the Billings Fire Department
negligently or intentionally left the fire scene without notification,
leaving the plaintiff and adjacent homeowners vulnerable to catastrophic damage.
Court documents state the fire caused irreparable damage, scorching trees and ground cover.
on a large section of land intended for development.
Reberg Ranch LLC claims the city is liable for monetary damages because of the fire department's negligence.
The company is asking a dollar amount to be established at trial.
The plaintiff is also demanding that the trial go before a jury instead of a judge.
Reberg Ranch Estates was developed by Congressman Denny Reberg and is managed by his wife, Jan.
Well, the biggest Fourth of July festival in Billings is underway.
Harvest Church is hosting Celebrate Freedom tonight at Castle Rock Park in the Heights.
The event draws thousands of people every year for activities and fireworks.
Celebrate Freedom is the city's only fireworks show.
Event organizers say the church puts on the show as a way to give back to the community.
The festival includes activities for the family, including everything from inflatables to live music.
I think it's a good time for us to just take a deep breath,
remember our freedoms and celebrate that with this fireworks display and this carnival atmosphere.
It's just a great day. The weather is perfect. Hardly any wind, no storms.
The 35-minute fireworks show starts tonight at 10.15 p.m.
It will be synchronized to music from 103.7 The Hawk.
Another big Independence Day event happening today is in Laurels.
They're hosting their annual Fourth of July celebration,
which attracts thousands of people. Q2's David Jay brings us the story.
The Laurel Fourth of July parade celebrates America with the police department leading the way.
It is a privilege for the Laurel Police Department to be leading out in the parade.
Veterans also have a special place in the parade lineup, carrying the first American flag in the procession.
We're Iraqi war veterans and to be asked to do this, it's just an honor.
The patriotism takes on all kinds of looks.
Being able to celebrate and get a lot of people here, I mean thousands and thousands of people,
you know it's just a lot of fun and it's an honor to do it.
And while Sean McCleary represents the fire department in the parade,
his fellow firefighters are setting up for their annual fireworks show.
We can't do half our stuff.
This is the tradition and you'll see a lot of the class reunions centered around this.
You'll see a lot of family reunions centered around it.
The fireworks show will also help Laurel hometown troops honor veterans.
Have everybody light their candle, do a salute to the troops,
pray for the ones that are over there and remember the ones that served our country and didn't make it back.
Really enjoy the fourth. I mean they really are proud to be here in America.
Very patriotic. It was exciting for us to do this.
It was the two biggest days of the year, the third and fourth of July.
Very patriotic.
And Laurel, David Jay reporting for Montana's news station.
And Laurel touts its show as the biggest and best in Montana.
The fire department expects the fireworks show to begin lighting up the skies sometime between 10 and 1030 p.m.
Well for members of the United States Armed Forces, the fourth of July has an extra special meaning.
Tonight we hear from the brave men and women who have dedicated their lives to fighting for our nation's freedom.
When I think of the fourth of July, I just think of anticipation of good times with friends, with family.
And so today it takes on a little bit more of a significant meaning to me because I am an Irma and I'm very proud of that.
Fourth of July, what it means to me is that I honestly think of everyone who has served before me and has given their life.
When I look at the American flag flying overhead, I thank God that I am an American citizen.
It gives me shivers up and down my spine and just again what a privilege, what an honor to be able to be considered worthy to wear my country's uniform and to represent that flag.
Everybody has always done so many things to make sure that flag stays flying and stays up in the air.
So it's really a symbol of just liberty, freedom, everything that everybody has ever believed in.
What I'd like to say to the Airmen that are in the U.S. and otherwise are abroad, you know that on the fourth of July, remember the celebration is about independence.
And wherever they are, that's what we're still fighting for.
You all are the reason why we are able to sleep and rest at peace at night.
God bless you. Thank you for what you're doing. We're trying to do our part back here too and I wish you all well.
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
We want to thank the new stations Ashley Corsland for that piece.
Well still to come on the 530 News, more than a hundred thousand troops in Afghanistan are officially under new leadership.
That story is straight ahead. And later in sports, we take a look back at the outlaws dominating performance yesterday and show you why bigger isn't always better.
Happy Fourth of July, your firework outlook. We have got that for you. Another round with the rain looks to roll in.
And will we have more July like temperatures? Yeah, I'll tell you when. Storm tracker weather. Hang on.
Christian homes for adults with developmental disabilities. Special K Ranchers raise livestock, grow produce for sale and maintain the ranch east of Columbus.
A capital campaign is now underway to build a new house for older ranchers and make room for future residents now waiting to call the ranch home.
Visitors are always welcome. Learn more about us online at specialkranch.org.
General David Petraeus is now in command of forces in Afghanistan.
He takes over after General Stanley McChrystal was fired and as U.S. troops suffer an increase in casualties.
Joel Brown reports. The 130,000 troops in Afghanistan have a new leader.
We are in this to win. That is our clear objective. General David Petraeus formally assumed command of forces during a Sunday ceremony in Kabul.
He takes over from General Stanley McChrystal, fired last week after the general and his aides were quoted mocking the Obama administration.
We have arrived at a critical moment. Petraeus says despite the change in command, the mission in Afghanistan remains the same.
We must help Afghan leaders develop their security forces and governance capacity so that they can over time take on the tasks of securing their country and see to the needs of their people.
Petraeus takes over as U.S. casualties are on the rise and support for the nine-year-old war shrinks back home.
The general who led the surge in Iraq will try to accomplish the same in Afghanistan, but he only has a year before the White House plans to start bringing troops home.
Senator John McCain and his closest political allies think the July 2011 deadline is a bad idea.
Our commitment must be we will succeed and then we will withdraw.
We've got to win it and therefore you don't put that on a timeline.
If you send a signal to your enemies you're going to leave at a certain date. They'll wait to that date and wait you out.
Lawmakers may disagree about strategy, but most are united in their support for General Petraeus and believe he is America's best hope for winning this war.
Joel Brown, CBS News, Washington.
Jeff joining us now, what a beautiful Fourth of July forecast.
Gorgeous, I'm not sure how long I can keep this stable weather here.
Jeff?
I know, I figured you'd want to hear from me. No, we do have some things to tell you about in storm tracker weather. Hang on.
A rodeo cowboy asks a lot of his ride.
He needs to be sure he can rely on its 650 foot pounds of torque in much the same way that he relies on his horse.
The all new Ram Heavy Duty motor. Your accurate forecast from Jeff Womack starts now with live storm tracker Doppler on Montana's news station.
Welcome back guys. Thanks for stopping by. As always, as we take a look at the Q2 First Interstate ICAM on top of the rims, yes we do have some clouds building.
Is there a chance of some showers? I am afraid so, as we've got a little front that is moving into the area right now.
As we go now to the board, I'll show it to you. It's here around western Montana.
Now, it's coming to us out of the northwest, so as it presses in here, we're looking for the possibility of some rain to be generated.
Wouldn't you know, right about 9 o'clock. I think what we get would be on the light side, but I want to tell you about it now.
So I know a lot of you are headed out to Castle Rock, Laurel and around the area.
So let's animate this for you. Already starting to see the rain here. Here's the first part of the front. This is spreading the clouds to us.
Now, in behind us, we have the moisture stretching from Great Falls to Darby down here in Butte as well.
We're starting to get into the rain. Bozeman likely to hit you here in the next couple of hours.
75 degrees right now in the Gallatin Valley. 69 degrees back here around Lewistown.
Hey, the steamy 70s around Glendive and also back here into Billings. 78 degrees.
Meanwhile, Cody's still holding on to the 70s as well.
But we do have a pretty good round of some unsettled weather as we get back into a northwesterly flow.
Once again, 78 degrees are high temperature trying to inch you more towards that normal of 84.
Look at this way ahead. Precept wise, definitely something to brag about as we still go through the month of July.
But now I want to show you this is what we had right here. We had all that nice clear high pressure.
And behind that, there's just a little bit of that left. It's getting squeezed out of here, though,
by this big trough just breaking down the door force its way in here so we could see some showers out of that.
Here's what we could have across Iowa into Nebraska and Kansas and also right here around Cheyenne where you see the red.
Those are tornado watches and warnings down their way as you look temperatures across the way.
78 degrees. Look how the showers of cool things are on the mile high.
Sixty one as you got the 80s across southeast, also the 90s here in Dallas and good old one for Phoenix.
All right. So let's show you the pattern here. It's kind of a complicated one as we have that next trough.
Low pressure coming in here and it's one of these split flows that makes these storm systems very hard to track.
But I think our computers have got a handle on it right there. Here's that shower I'm talking about.
It's likely to come across the buildings area.
But then as we go a little bit further into the night starts to weaken as it moves out of here.
Now, the whole system itself drops in on us by tomorrow evening.
That's more likely to get into the rain around here in central and southwestern Montana,
as we will hear around the Billings area down into Red Lodge.
Doesn't quite hit you for a while around southeastern Montana until we get into Tuesday.
Forecast in for tonight. 54 degrees. We'll call for scattered showers mainly to the south.
54 degrees for roundup as we've got 53 in around Miles City.
39 degrees down here in Butte as we have a few clouds into the mix.
Helena, you'd be in a lot of clouds, so you'll be right around 50 overnight tonight.
All right. So thunderstorms are back with us tomorrow and the low 70s, in fact, will be really lucky to get there.
A few places, upper 60s meantime along the high line as rain going to be a mainstay.
So be ready for some isolated thunderstorms to the south and a little shower looking to move through
probably by about nine o'clock tonight.
The main rain comes to us on Tuesday, knocking temperatures down to 70 and the upper 60s.
A few spots, more July like temperatures though towards the end of the week.
We just can't escape that rain on Fourth of July.
I know. I think you cursed us last week.
Maybe. Maybe it's me. All right. Thanks, Jeff.
You're welcome.
Fourth of July means it's cowboy Christmas.
The most fun week of the year if you're a fan, if you participate, if you do anything in the world of rodeo,
you love this week and we'll tell you just where some of these guys go over the seven days.
There's a great place just around the corner where fresh is best.
The way I see it, when the fresh stuff is great, the whole store is great.
Which brings me to Albertsons. Literally, the fresh stuff brings me here.
Amazing produce, meat, bakery and I get great sale prices on my favorite fresh foods.
I'm craving something juicy. I'm thinking fresh ripe cantaloupe at 48 cents a pound will do.
Or maybe a mouth-watering cut of Albertsons bone and rib eye steak. That's just $4.99 a pound.
The best of the fresh is just around the corner at Albertsons.
Matt here from Big Sky Collision Center.
Well, Mother Nature has really come to Montana. Hail and tornadoes, you name it.
If your family has experienced it, you know what I mean.
Big Sky Collision Center has been in Billings for over 35 years.
It's a name you can count on for excellent service and a fast turnaround.
From the minute you bring your car in to the day you drive it home, our commitment is to you.
Our large staff of technicians have thousands of hours of hail damage experience.
Big Sky Collision Center, a name you've grown to trust.
Time now for complete local sports coverage on Q2, Montana's news station.
That's right. Hello, everybody. Time for sports where your Billings outlaws are back in another conference championship game.
After playing what coach Haran O'Neal called their most complete game of the season yesterday.
Their timing couldn't have been better.
After having to rally in round one of the playoffs to beat Tri-Cities,
the outlaws were expected to get a much tougher test from a physical San Angelo team
who came in with the offensive rookie of the year and running back Derrick Ross.
But after all was said and done, it wasn't the six-foot, 230-pound bruiser who stood out.
It was his five-foot, eight-counter part. Outlaws do it all back Tim Brown,
who scored in seemingly every way possible and stole the headlines.
Everybody was talking about him. I mean, and rightfully so.
He is a great back, but Tim Brown is great as well.
I mean, he made plays all over the field, and I think it was a little personal thing going on from running back to running back.
And I've seen people from their team come up to Tim Brown and say, great game,
just like we have people from our team to come up and say, great game to Ross.
So it's mutual respect both ways.
If you didn't know how good Brown was before this game, you certainly do now.
He made every play possible yesterday and allowed the Outlaws once again to host another conference championship.
They will get the Arkansas Diamonds coming in at 13-3 overall in the season.
That's next Saturday night, once again at the Sportsplex at 7 p.m.
We'll cover this game all week long.
Now, the only sport where the athletes experience more injuries than football is, without a doubt, the world of rodeo.
But even the most painful of injuries won't keep the world's best on the couch this week
with Cowboy Christmas Paychex galore to be won.
If riders and ropers play their cards right, they can earn five figures over the week with a couple of good rides,
which might be enough to pay for the gas they'll rack up just getting to every rodeo possible.
Started off at Wainwright, Alberta there a couple days ago.
Went from there to Greeley, Colorado.
Was up in St. Paul, Oregon today, but I decided to come to Cody instead.
Tomorrow I'm up in Penocha and Airdrie, then Mandan, North Dakota.
Back to Penocha short round, I hope.
Hopefully a couple days at the lake after that.
There's actually more great rodeos going on this week than you can actually get to, you know, because of logistics.
There's only so many days this week, but we try to make it to the top rodeos, and Cody's one of those top rodeos.
You know, it's a lot of fun to get to do this and make a living at it.
I mean, you can't beat it.
Now for all you fans, Cowboy Christmas continues to run through tomorrow, so make sure you check out a rodeo near you.
Well, certain things just go together.
Thanksgiving and football, Halloween and creepy hockey masks, the Fourth of July and baseball.
And this year is no different as the Mustangs continue their series tonight in Great Falls.
They have won three of their last four after losing seven of their previous eight before that.
So they have righted the ship, it seems like, in our five and eight overall in the season.
As they continue their four game set with Great Falls in game two tonight as they try to climb back to 500 in the league.
And with the Mustangs out of town, Dealer Park will play host to some Legion baseball tonight.
Your Billings Royals back at home.
If we can get to that graphic, we're actually not going to be able to have that graphic,
but I can guarantee you that the Royals are going to play the Bozeman Bucks at Dealer Park tonight.
They'll also be playing them on Monday as well.
So any July 4th, July 5th baseball, you can get out to Dealer Park and see.
I was just so unbelievable. I couldn't believe Cowboy Christmas. That's so unbelievable.
I didn't know about that until we went to Cody this week.
Well, you were in Cody for Q2 Country, and it's just a lot of fun because there are so many rodeos that you can go around,
you know, you ride for five seconds if you're a roper or rider, you can ride for eight seconds and win a lot of money.
And they just travel all over the place. All the way around. It's a big week for them.
Unbelievable. Thanks, Casey. We'll be right back.
The fellow Montanans we will introduce this week include an amazing couple from Townsend who work wonders with glass.
Next, we'll take you to a Saturday country breakfast that you won't soon forget.
And we'll introduce you to a self-taught woodworker and her husband who create fantastic and functional spoons on That's Montana.
Hey, everyone. Where are you from six to seven every morning?
We're here and we hope that you are waking up with us for Montana this morning.
That's right. We'll bring you the day's events and the news you need to know.
Very latest weather forecast. You can head out the door. See you bright and early.
Jessica Simpson is ready to go public. It's a really hard thing for me to talk about the mom jeans.
You were a size four and people are calling you fat. John Mayer's kiss and tell. Did you feel betrayed?
Then what's beautiful around the world? Lisa Ling reports from China. The plastic surgery boom.
When they leave today, they will have new faces and why people pay thousands to have their legs broken. Next, Oprah.
Everyone is here.
I just want one taste.
Trying to use sex to distract me. I learned from the best.
I could have gone better.
The games begin.
Movement. Along with weight loss, it's one of the many ways to fight osteoarthritis pain.
For more information on managing pain, go to Fight Arthritis Pain dot org.
Last look at weather. You know, some scattered showers are making their way in through the back door.
So keep that in mind for your firework plans tonight. More of them appear Monday and then into Tuesday, knocking temperatures to their knees.
Couple of places. But then we bounce out of this towards the end of the week, guys getting back into the 80s with some scattered showers to take us into the weekend.
All right. Thanks, Jeff. Some baseball happening tonight as well.
Over at Dealer Park, the Royals get the Bozeman Bucks, Mustangs on the road, but of course, highlights of both in sports at 10.
All right. We want to recap our top story for you. A fire is burning near the Hearts and Diamonds subdivision.
That's in Stillwater County just outside Columbus. We're told residents in that subdivision have been evacuated, but we're told that firefighters do have a line around that fire.
The Hearts and Diamonds subdivision is located off Countryman Creek Road. All homes have been evacuated.
Firefighters from Columbus, Joliet, Absorkey, Read Point and Red Lodge are fighting that blaze, which started about 1 20 p.m.
We do have a crew on the way to the scene and we'll bring you the latest information as it becomes available.
Hope you are having a great Fourth of July weekend. We'll see you back here right at 10 o'clock.