Evacuations on Northern Cheyenne Reservation

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Several wildfires have forced evacuations on and around the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation in southeastern Montana. A dispatcher says the town of Ashland was evacuated last night. Evacuations also were ordered in St. Labre. The Billings Gazette reports Highway 212 into Ashland is closed because the bridges have been burned out.

Just after midnight Tuesday, the American Red Cross of Montana opened emergency shelters in Ashland, Lame Deer and Broadus, according to spokeswoman Diane Wright.

The Ashland Public School on U.S. 212 hosted about 30 evacuees as did a shelter at the Lame Deer Boys and Girls Club at 100 Cheyenne Ave. Wright said sometime today the shelters probably will be combined.

She did not know if anyone stayed at the Broadus Elementary School shelter last night.

Harvest Church in Billings at 1235 West Wicks Lane is on standby in case additional shelters are needed.

Wright said Red Cross resources are being tapped and she hopes Montanans will respond with donations.

"We having to pull disaster teams from all areas of the state to head east," she said.

Credit card donations can be made by calling 1-800-272-6668. Checks can be sent to American Red Cross of Montana at 1300 28th St. S., Great Falls, MT 59405. Online donations can be made at www.montanaredcross.org.

See the Full Story in the Billings Gazette