4th of July Celebration returns to Zortman

Last year's Independence Day celebration in Zortman was canceled following the "July Fire" which would go on to burn over 11,000 acres and preceded a summer of drought and extreme heat.

Last Wednesday, the celebration returned to the tiny town and was welcomed by all.

"It's good to be out here today," Michael Nagel said. Nagel and Derek Oshio spent much of last July 3 trying to combat the fire that broke out near Alder Gulch. By July 6, mandatory evacuations were ordered and at one point, nearly 500 personnel were working the fire. The July 4th Celebration, which started 42 years ago in Zortma...