Summary

A very large earthquake strikes southwest Montana along the Yellowstone border. It is felt as far away as Kalispell. Stories and plots will revolve around the the town before and after the quake.

Theme

The theme for this episode will be major life upheavals - good and bad. These can be specific to the aftermath of the earthquake itself or ongoing personal stories.

Notes

In 1959, a 7.5 - 7.8 earthquake struck Montana at Hebgen Lake so there is a history for large quakes in the area. Should we want the epicenter at a distance (Hebgen would be approximately 450 miles from Kalispell), we might need to upscale the quake on the scale. If we want to set it closer, perhaps with an epicenter around Flathead Lake, we would have to downscale the size.

Earthquakes can and do occur in unusual areas, those not associated with seismic activity. For example, in 1811 - 1812, very large earthquakes struck the New Madrid area (near Memphis, Tennessee). The largest quake is estimated at around an 8.0. An large section of land dropped about three feet and the Mississippi River ran backward for a period of time to fill it in, creating Reelfoot Lake.

Sadly, no logical eruptions to be had in that area. However, I thought as a major event, a wild-west disaster film could be fun. Easy enough to have some of the remote ranch people in town (ranchers meeting, etc.). Should allow for some drama and mixing/matching of who writes with who. Of course, it depends on if we attract a few more players and all that for running this one.

What a way for a meet and greet!