Gianforte issues disaster declarations after storms in Miles City, Bitterroot Valley

Gov. Greg Gianforte at a news conference regarding grizzly bear delisting on Aug. 5, 2024. (Photo by Blair Miller, Daily Montanan)

Gov. Greg Gianforte issued disaster declarations on Friday tied to severe storms that blew through Miles City on July 13 and the Bitterroot Valley on Aug. 23, which allow the state to help with cleanup and repairs.

The declaration for Miles City comes after a severe thunderstorm packing winds of 70 miles per hour, lightning and hail moved through the city, snapping and uprooting trees, knocking down power lines, and damaging roofs on homes and businesses.

Miles City’s water treatment plant was offline for eight hours, and some areas of the city went without power for a day and a half. Miles City’s mayor declared a disaster on July 23.

The declaration in the Bitterroot applies to the Town of Stevensville and City of Hamilton, which saw wind gusts between 26 and 52 miles per hour during a severe thunderstorm on Aug. 23. The storm also felled trees that damaged cars and power lines and disrupted Hamilton’s wastewater treatment facility, according to the declaration.

In Miles City, officials have already reported spending twice the city’s emergency funds and allotted emergency mill levies.

Now that Gianforte has issued disaster declarations, the state can issue General Fund money to Miles City, Stevensville and Hamilton to meet each municipalities’ needs as they recover from the storms.