Part of MDF plant suffers fire, explosion
CHRIS PETERSON | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 1 week, 5 days AGO
Smoke hangs over the MDF plant Saturday morning.
Chris Peterson is the editor of the Hungry Horse News. He covers Columbia Falls, the Canyon, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness. All told, about 4 million acres of the best parts of the planet. He can be reached at [email protected] or 406-892-2151. | April 8, 2026 7:10 AM
The Weyerhaeuser Medium Density Fiberboard plant suffered a fire and explosion in one of the line sanders and bag houses on Saturday, April 4.
No one was injured in the fire, said Columbia Falls Fire Chief Karl Weeks. The call came out at 6:40 a.m. and the first firefighters arrived 11 minutes later. Columbia Falls, Bad Rock, Evergreen, Whitefish and Hungry Horse-Martin City all responded with mutual aid.
Firefighters didn’t get off the scene until 2:46 p.m., Weeks said.
Having said that, the plant did not have significant damage, though a pall of smoke hung over it most of the morning.
“The majority of the mill was unaffected by the incident and operations resumed today (Monday),” Weyerhaeuser spokeswoman Kyleigh Gill said in a statement to the Hungry Horse News. “We appreciate the ongoing support of local first responders and firefighters and are grateful for their assistance at the scene.”
ARTICLES BY CHRIS PETERSON
Review: Portable power for a comfortable apocalypse
So a few weeks ago the power went out and yet we still had at least one light on in our house and even the Internet for another hour until that crapped out region-wide.
State suggests raising speed limit on Highway 2 through city
A recent speed study for U.S. Highway 2 through Columbia Falls to Columbia Heights actually calls for increasing the speed limit in some sections, rather than lowering it as city leaders had hoped.
City looks to tighten short-term rental regs, but will not require owner occupancy
The city of Columbia Falls will have a more robust way to regulate short-term rentals in the next year, but stopped short of requiring owner-occupancy of the property as the city’s planning commission had recommended.