Debris Volunteers are Available Through Sunday in Missoula (2024)

Important Update:On behalf of Missoula Parks and Recreation, for the most up-to-date list of open storm debris drop sites, please visitmissoula.co/storm.

Please disregard any prior storm debris drop-off information and refer to the link above for the latest information.

Original Story:

Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - Missoula County continues to share vital information after the severe thunderstorm last week. The information below has been shared via press release by Allison Franz, Communication Manager with Missoula County.

DEBRIS VOLUNTEERS AVAILABLE:Volunteer organization Team Rubicon has volunteers available through Sunday, Aug. 4, to assist property owners with debris removal. Volunteers can saw and load debris into private vehicles. They cannot haul debris. Property owners seeking assistance should call 406-201-1173.

HOW TO HELP:Residents can gohereto sign up to help with the response or to request volunteer help on their property, and United Way of Missoula County will coordinate efforts.

DEBRIS DROP SITES:The following debris drop-off sites are open today:

• *NEW SITE* Fort Missoula at South Avenue and 36thStreet
• Larchmont Triangle site (corner of Fort Missoula Road and Post Siding Road)
• North Side Pit (corner Shakespeare and Rodgers)
• Garden City Compost, 1125 Clark Fork Lane

Debris sites are filling up quickly, and City staff are being flexible with closing and opening sites as needed.Officials request that residents with low-prioritydebris(i.e., it's not blocking their driveway or causing other access issues) wait to drop it off.

Users should follow all on-site signage and traffic control staff and only dropdebrisin designated areas.

The incident management team continues to work to secure a debris drop site in Lolo, though this may not be accomplished in the near-term. There is no County-owned land in the area, and drop sites must be large enough to accommodate large volumes of debris for several months, as well as mitigate noise and odor concerns.

EXPECTATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR PROPERTY DAMAGE:Residents seeking financial assistance for property damage should file claims with their homeowners insurance. While local government may receive financial assistance from the federal government down the road, that assistance will most likely be focused on reimbursing costs to repair public infrastructure, not to provide personal financial assistance to homeowners.

BITTERROOT RIVERCLOSURE LIFTED:Fish, Wildlife and Parks lifted the last remaining river closure, on the Bitterroot River, this morning after the remaining power pole was removed.

RELATED STORIES

• Who Pays for the Damage Caused by Fallen Trees?
• Missoula Thunderstorm Caused Severe Damage
• Many More Damaged Missoula Trees Will Have to Come Down
• Missoula Fire Chief on Community Response After Storm
• The Aftermath From Last Night’s Wild Storm in Missoula [Photos]
• Where to Dispose of Storm Tree Debris in Missoula

ROAD SAFETY AND ROAD CLOSURES:Crews are still working to repair power lines in some areas, and need drivers to adhere to road closures and posted speed limits so they can continue without disruption. Drivers ignoring road closures slows this work down. Drivers should also not drive over power lines.

INTERMITTENT POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE:NorthWestern Energy and Missoula Electric Co-op customers may experience intermittent power outages due to storm-weakened trees falling on lines and power being rerouted as system come back online. If power is out for more than half an hour, customers should call their provider.

ADHERE TO STAGE II FIRE RESTRICTIONS:Stage II fire restrictions are still in effect throughout Missoula County, which restricts the useof chainsaws from 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Residents should plan to use chainsaws in the morning and then haul debris in the afternoon.

CLEAR STORM DRAINS:Residents should make sure yard debris is not blocking storm drains on their streets, especially with today's weather. Blocked storm drains can lead to localized flooding. Residents can call 406-552-6379 to report blocked storm drains.

HAZARDS STILL IN TREES:Many trees still have loose branches and limbs that could fall at any time, especially when it's windy. Residents should look up to ensure they're aware of potential hazards in trees and avoid parking vehicles under trees with hazards. City Parks staff are flagging the base of City trees with hazards. Keep in mind not all dangerous trees have been identified. Officials strongly urge residents to exercise extreme caution in all parks and natural areas, as the risk of fallingtrees and branches remains high in the storm's aftermath.