No S'more Fires
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THTHURSURSdadaY Y lonepeaklookout.com JuneJuly 24, 19, 2021 2018 FREEFREE VolumeVolume 4, I1,ssue Issue 25 33 BigBig Sky, Sky, LONELONE PEAKPEAK LOOKOUTLOOKOUT MontanaMontana LPHS brings home No S’more fires engineering hardware COUNTIES, CLUBS, RESORTS GET LPHS STUDENTS WIN SOUTHEASTERN SERIOUS WITH FIRE RESTRICTIONS CONSORTIUM FOR MINORITIES IN ENGINEERING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP By AUSTIN SAMUELS [email protected] he Bighorns have brought home the championship. Just probably not one Tyou're thinking of. Unlike most recognition that Lone Peak High School students receive, mainly regarding sporting events, this is something unique. The Lone Peak High School robotics and engineering club brought home the title for SECME Engineering Design Mousetrap Cars in the high school division this spring. The robotics and engineering club included two LPHS stu- dents, Junior Carly Wilson and Big Sky Fire Department firefighters hard at work. Fire restrictions have been put in place in southwest Montana Sophomore Maddie Cone, along early this year to hot, dry conditions. PHOTO COURTESY BSFD with the third member Joah Levine. Levine was not a student By KATRINA LaNG just across the border in Gallatin On Tuesday, the Madison at LPHS however he was founder Big Sky Youth Corps Intern County, minutes away, they were County Board of Commissioners and driving force of the robotics Lone Peak High School’s award winning SECME Engineering Design not. voted to join neighboring Galla- mousetrap car. PHOTO COURTESY JOAH LEVINE and engineering club. ummer has arrived early And these confusing borders tin County and most of the large in Big Sky, and with it the Madison County landowners in This club was completely the are only part of the fire preven- scorching, dry climate Big Sky, which had already im- brain of the three high school robotics dates back to his child- Minorities in Engineering. SEC- tion story. Big Sky is not only ordinarily seen later plemented even stricter rules. students, mainly junior Joah hood days, “Originally I was a ME aims to increase the amount divided into two counties, it is in August--creating the ideal Levine. Joah moved to Big Sky huge fan of Legos, but then I just of participation and opportuni- S also under the control of multi- The Yellowstone Club Fire conditions for wildfires. Yet until last fall from Southern Florida. wanted to expand from there,” ties for minorities and girls in ple clubs and large landowners, Chief, Jason Manley, wrote to last Tuesday, residents of Big He had been competing in said Levine. engineering. “Our mission is to and administered by a patchwork the members on Friday, June 18, Sky who live in Madison County SECME events ever since the The division they competed in increase the pool of historically of agencies, government entities, "Due to abnormally dry weather, were free to burn whatever they seventh grade. However, Joah’s was SECME. SECME stands for underrepresented and under- fire districts, and owners associ- the Yellowstone Club will not be wanted on their property, while fascination with engineering and Southeastern Consortium for served students who will be ations. allowing any outdoor burning SECME continued on A2 S'MORE FIRES continued on A2 The first two hours Big four ski companies sign BIG SKY FIRE DEPARTMENT HOSTS TABLETOP Climate Collaborative Charter EXERCISE FOR JACK CREEK AREA FIRE BIG SKY RESORT SEES EMISSIONS SAVED FROM ON-SITE PROJECTS The origin of the fire was placed just below the Lee’s Pool subdivision in the Big Sky area. PHOTO COURTESY OF DUSTIN TETRAULT By KEELY LaRSON gether to respond in the first one the fire department,” GCSO, [email protected] to two hours of the fire, focusing Canyon Section, Sergeant Dan on evacuation then structures. Haydon said. “They obviously June 16, a day be- Deputy Fire Chief of the Big Sky have the expertise to know when fore a tree caught Fire Department (BSFD) Dustin something is a big deal and then fire near the South Tetrault explained that in those they help us to make sure that OnFork Loop in Big Sky, Mont., the first couple of hours, the initial we can prioritize which homes Big Sky Fire Department (BSFD) attack period, mutual aid from we need to contact, whether it in collaboration with the Gallatin Ennis or Bozeman would not yet be to warn the people about the Propane, at 4,557 MTCO2e or 9%, and employee commuting, at 3,707 MTCO2e or 24%, made up the highest County Sheriff’s Office (GSCO) be on the scene. event, or to provide them with an emissions quantities at Big Sky Resort as reported to NSAA. PHOTO COURTESY OF NSAA, CLIMATE CHALLENGE ANNUAL REPORT conducted a tabletop exercise “The objectives were for our- evacuation order if we think that scenario regarding a fire and selves and GCSO in conjunction they are really going to have the evacuation in the Jack Creek area. fire bearing down on them.” By KEELY LaRSON Charter, the ski industry’s first Sustainable Slopes platform as with Spanish Peaks and Moon- [email protected] unified effort to combat climate examples. The U.S. Forest Service created light Basin, because they have At hour two, Tetrault said, change according to a press fire progression maps for the ex- their own security forces, and we BSFD could start pulling focus The Sustainable Slopes initiative June 10, Alterra release, lays out commitments as was launched in 2000 and re- ercise that placed the origin of the also had the Yellowstone Club away from evacuation and turn it Mountain Com- business leaders and environ- fire below the Moonlight Basin there as well because their fire de- towards fighting the fire after ad- vamped in 2020 as a way for ski pany, POWDR, mental stewards that the major areas to commit to sustainable golf course. Risk factors included partment is kind of the first mu- ditional resources—helicopters, OnVail Resorts and Boyne Resorts players agree to: reducing energy practices and have opportuni- southwesterly winds that could tual aid for assistance,” Tetrault air tankers, extra fire depart- signed a charter demonstrating use where possible, advocating push the fire into the bottom side said. These initial responders ments, etc.—make it to the scene. ties for grant funding for green the four major players in the for climate-friendly public poli- projects. In Oct. 2019, a leader of Moonlight and the fact that a would notify homeowners of the Firefighters may pick different ski industry’s commitment to cy, educating guests and employ- fire in that location is not easily emergency and come up with a landmarks, like Jack Creek Road from each of the major four re- combating climate change and ees about sustainability, pursuing sort companies participated in a identifiable or accessible. strategy for marking evacuated or the golf course, to use to box operating sustainably. Within the collaboration over competition homes. the fire into an area, hoping for panel discussion at the Net Zero Through the six-hour scenario, four companies, 71 ski areas are when it comes to sustainability Summit hosted by Mountain different departments talked “For a wildland fire event, we better control of the burn, and involved. and supporting the National use retardants to slow it down. Towns. through how each could work to- really work hand-in-hand with The Climate Collaborative Ski Areas Association (NSAA) JACK CREEK continued on A2 CLIMATE CHARTER continued on A2 LONE PEAK LOOKOUT A2 June 24, 2021 SECME from A1 prepared to enter and com- The competition had a few very This ended up paying huge The letter explained to each of plete post-secondary studies in important requirements. The dividends for their team. the three students that they had science, technology, engineering first of which was the car had to The three students didn’t really won first place in the high school and mathematics (STEM), thus hold a ping pong ball throughout think much of where they would division for their mousetrap creating a diverse and globally the test. The second was that place, they were just simply car project. This is the first competitive workforce,” accord- everyone was given a $10 budget championship of this kind in Big Sky, proud of their work. However, ing to the SECME website. for their car. However, the LPHS LPHS school history, however Montana one fateful day this spring, the The challenge the three students club thought of a brilliant way three students received an email it may not be the last. “I want to LONELONE PEAK PEAK LOOKOUT LOOKOUT to boost their score. “We figured continue this club at LPHS next competed in was designing a from SECME, “I was honestly mousetrap car. They created out that if our car was made of really surprised when I got that year, and hopefully get a middle a string loaded car out of a completely recycled products letter. It was Maddie and I’s first school and elementary school mousetrap and tested it to see it would count as one cent. The year doing it, but Joah told us we going,” Levine said. Established in 1982 who could have the best formula difference in the formula score did a really good job this year. The community of Big Sky is BIG SKY, MONTANA score. This formula accounted for between one cent and $10 is a So, it was super surprising and very proud of your efforts and we multiple factors including size, multiple of 10,000,” Levine said. super cool,” club member Carly hope to see this continue in the weight, distance, speed and price. Wilson said. future. Editor: Cori Koenig [email protected] S'MORE FIRES from A1 Publisher: Susanne Hill until further notice.