BABB — On Wednesday evening, a devastating fire destroyed the Cattle Baron Supper Club, a longtime Babb staple that served generations of locals and visitors, leaving behind ashes, memories, and a community in mourning.
Brianna Juneau talks with owners about devastating loss - watch:
The fire broke out while owner Bob Burns and his son Stormy Burns — who is also Babb’s fire chief — were inside the restaurant. Stormy said they first noticed the smell of smoke and immediately tried to stop the source.
“We were in the building and started smelling smoke,” Stormy Burns said. “We tried to shut off the electrical, but by the time we did, smoke was already filling the place. You could barely see.”
Stormy said the situation escalated rapidly. By the time he was able to retrieve the fire engine and return, the restaurant was already engulfed in flames.
Strong winds fueled the fire throughout the night, making it impossible for crews to save the building.
“The winds were blowing so hard all night long,” Bob Burns said. “It just kept feeding the fire until the entire place burned down.”
Babb fire along with Blackfeet Fire Rescue, Blackfeet Fire Management, Cut Bank Fire, Shelby Fire, Del Bonita Fire, and East Glacier Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire until 2:30 am when the blaze was contained.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation though is suspected to be caused by an electrical issue.
Raw video from the scene of the fire:
Bob and his wife Charlene Burns have owned and operated the Cattle Baron since 1974, transforming it into more than just a restaurant.
For decades, it served as a gathering place for the small community of Babb and a familiar stop for travelers heading to Glacier National Park.
Charlene Burns said the hardest part of the loss isn’t the physical structure, but the history tied to it.
“The family history, the community history — that’s what went down with the building,” Charlene said. “That’s the hardest thing to let go of. This place meant something to people.”
Residents say the response reflects just how deeply the Cattle Baron was woven into the identity of Babb.
Despite the devastation, Bob Burns says the family is not giving up.
“We’re going to rebuild some way,” he said. “It might look different, but we’re not done.”
For many in Babb, the loss of the Cattle Baron marks the end of an era, but the Burns family hopes its spirit will live on through the community it helped bring together for generations.
A GoFundMe has been created to help the family; it states, in part:
Bob Burns, who is 82, and his wife Charlene, who is 76, lost their restaurant, the Cattle Baron Supper Club, in a smoldering electrical fire that became uncontrollable due to high winds on 01/14/26. This was one of their worst nightmares and something no one ever imagines actually happening until it does.
Click here if you would like to donate.
We will update you when we get more information.
