A fault line at the base of the Bitterroot Mountain Range is getting a lot of attention.
There might not be an earthquake in this area any time soon, but it’s still a good idea to be ready.
MTN went to Hamilton to talk to an emergency expert and find out if people know what’s under their feet.
“Yeah, we’ve got a fault line through here.” But Cheri Hartless said she didn’t. Patrick Hartless, who lives in Corvallis, said, “I didn’t know that there was that we even had one.”
Jane Lambert, who lives in Stevensville, said, “We all choose to live in this beautiful place.”
On Thursday, October 17, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a talk about the Bitterroot fault line at the Hamilton Performing Arts Center.
The Bitterroot fault line runs from Stevensville to Darby along the Bitterroot Mountain Range. It is a crack in the earth.
“Now is a good time to raise awareness and teach people who might not know about that,” said Erik Hoover, director of emergency management for Ravalli County.
I guess I can say that we do live in an environment that is easily upset. It’s not that far away from Yellowstone, so I guess it’s just the way things are,” Hartless said.
There hasn’t been a record of an earthquake from the Bitterroot fault yet, but it’s always possible for something to happen.
“It really is one of the harder incidents to kind of plan on, but some of the reports are showing that this fault could potentially result in a moderate to severe earthquake,” Hoover said. “There’s nothing imminent saying that that’s going to happen now or in 100 years or in 1,000 years.”
Research from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology at Montana Tech, on the other hand, shows that damage could be worse if an earthquake does happen. That’s since there are more people living in the valley.
“A lot of the structures in the area are not seismic rated or seismic proof,” said Hoover.
That’s why the event on Thursday night is being put on by the Ravalli County Office of Emergency Management.
“Informed and educated public is kind of the first step in being prepared for any emergency; having a plan for accountability and communicating with your family,” Hoover said.
She said, “If you feel like you have to make, changes around your house or whatever it is, do so.”
