A new federal earthquake map dials up the shaking hazard just a bit for about half of the United States and lowers it for nearly a quarter of the nation.

The U.S. Geologic Survey (USGS) updated its national seismic hazard maps on Thursday for the first time since 2008, taking into account research from the devastating 2011 earthquake and tsunami off the Japanese coast and the surprise 2011 Virginia temblor.

The maps are an important part of the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction Program, a partnership of four federal agencies to reduce risks of earthquakes. The four agencies include USGS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the National Science Foundation.

Most high-risk zones are concentrated on the west coast and Alaska, with a few other hotspots clustered around faults in the Midwest and Southeast.

Most of the changes in this year's updated map are relatively minor. Project chief Mark Petersen said parts of Washington, Oregon, Utah, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming and Tennessee moved into the top two hazard zones.

Parts of 16 states have the highest risk for earthquakes: Alaska, Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Kentucky and South Carolina.

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In 1868 Congress approved the creation of the Wyoming Territory. Thomas Edison patented his voice recording machine. And a brewery in Helena acquired a tool to keep its valuables safe.

MTNS Chet Layman took his modern voice recording machine to Three Forks to show us first-hand the Kessler Brewing company's safe and its first trip out of Helena in 146 years.

You're looking at a three-ton piece of Montana and US history. Hall's Safe and Lock company built it in Cincinnati in 1854. The safe was then shipped to the Gulf of Mexico where it boarded a boat for Fort Benton, Montana Territory. That is 1868, because of its weight, an oxen team had to carry it to its final destination - the Kessler Brewing Company in Helena.

Helena would become the capitol in another 21 years, but this safe had plenty of work to do.

Steve Hamilton/New Safe Owner:
"All the gold that came out of Diamond City, the gold that came out of Last Chance Gulch was held in this safe for security purposes until it was able to be shipped up and out of Fort Benton," said Steve Hamilton, the safe's new owner.

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