Missoula Fire Department staff worked Monday morning to tape off the site of avalanche damage on Holly Street in the Lower Rattlesnake, and City police officers are visiting homes along Van Buren Street to talk with residents about continuing avalanche danger.
Steve Karkanen of the West Central Montana Avalanche Center posted Monday morning in a special update that a weak snowpack structure is still present on Mount Jumbo and that the avalanche danger is CONSIDERABLE or Level 3. The Center’s website has complete avalanche
information at www.missoulaavalanche.org.
Police officers are visiting homes east of Van Buren/Rattlesnake Drive from Elm Street to Herbert and on Harrison Street north of Elm Street to let residents know of heightened avalanche danger for at least the next 48 hours. The expected freezing rain or more snow will increase danger. There is no evacuation order. Voluntary evacuees can find shelter provided by the Red Cross at the First Baptist Church at Woody and West Pine streets. The Red Cross can be reached at 552-5934.
The coordinator of the volunteer effort to recover residents’ belongings in the avalanche area has called off the effort because of danger to the volunteers and neighboring residences.
It is vitally important for the public to stay off all parts of Mount Jumbo, including all trails and foothills slopes and areas not owned by the City. City conservation lands staff members are putting up new signs along Van Buren Street/Rattlesnake Drive to emphasize that the mountain is closed to all uses, as is Mount Sentinel.
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