Four days before Christmas and three weeks until the due date of their second child, Joseph and Shana Watson of Whitefish are dealing with the aftermath of a house fire on Tuesday evening that destroyed their personal belongings.

But, they say, thanks to community support they'll be OK.

"The outstretching of hands has been overwhelming," Joseph Watson said. "We're not worried about us. We'll be all right. We're more worried about our 8-year-old boy and the baby on the way."

Their son, Joseph Daniel, is a third-grader at Muldown Elementary School, where teachers, staff, students and parents rallied to conduct a funds drive before classes let out for winter vacation. Whitefish Middle School and the High School student council also pitched in. The end result was $2,200 raised in just five hours, Muldown school counselor Diana Graham said.

"In his [Joseph's] class, he received a present from almost every student," Graham said, adding that the parents of students in his class, taught by Mrs. Bloom, raised additional money for a bedroom set for him.

Stumptown Quilt Guild delivered a quilt to the school, and the Whitefish PTA and Ritzman Children's Fund provided Christmas gifts.

THE WATSONS were renting the home that burned at 706 Greenwood Drive. A space heater ignited the home's living-room carpet. No one was home at the time, but a passerby saw the blaze and called for help.

While the fire was contained to the living room area, the heat of the blaze melted appliances in other areas, even the smoke detector in the hallway, Watson said. Smoke damage was extensive.

With assistance from the local Red Cross, the family is staying at a Whitefish motel until further arrangements can be made.

Watson said baby items that were stored in the garage are salvageable.

"It's been overwhelming," he said during a cell-phone interview on Thursday morning while he was buying clothes. "People started helping us that night. We want to give some back to the community in some way."

Watson said that instead of accepting personal donations, he'd rather have residents make contributions to the Red Cross for other families in similar situations who need assistance.

RED CROSS officials say they've responded to an unprecedented number of house fires statewide in the last two months.

The agency provides temporary shelter and immediate cash assistance to replace essential items such as clothing, bedding and food. It also hands out blankets and personal-care kits with hygiene items, Northwest Montana Red Cross program specialist Bernadette Larson said.

In Flathead County, the Red Cross responded to two house fires in November that affected eight people, and the Whitefish house fire so far in December. In Lake County, the agency assisted with three house fires and an apartment-complex fire that affected 13 people.

Statewide, the Red Cross responded to 31 house fires in 45 days, according to a press release dated Dec. 7.

The agency cautioned residents to be vigilant when using space heaters, fireplaces and candles. Christmas trees and other decorations should be at least three feet away from heat sources.

Those wanting to donate to the Red Cross can send contributions to Northwest Montana Red Cross, 126 N. Meridian Road, Kalispell, MT 59901.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at [email protected]