Fire Adapted Working Groups in Montana
What is a fire adapted working group?
A fire adapted working group is a collaborative of individuals with differing backgrounds which seek to improve their communities wildfire preparedness and resilience. These groups are often times comprised of local fire departments, forest contractors, home and landowners, HOA’s, and natural resource agencies. These groups work collaboratively on local fire risk reduction, community preparedness, home hardening efforts, community wildfire preparedness plans, and cross boundary treatments. Due to their collaborative nature, these groups can use creative approaches to help support their communities wildfire needs by leveraging available funding opportunities, local contractors, and utilizing private and agency insights in order focus their efforts where they will be most effective.
Working Groups in Montana
Fire Adapted Kootenai: Based out of Lincoln, MT, Fire Adapted Kootenai provides leadership for and coordinates the voluntary firesafe activities in Lincoln County. FireSafe Council meetings are held monthly at the Libby Volunteer Fire Department and virtually through Microsoft Teams. To attend their next meeting, check out their Minutes page Address: 119 East 6th Street, Libby, MT 59923. To reach out visit their website or their Contact page.
FireSafe Flathead: Are individuals, neighborhoods, organizations, and agency wildfire professionals working to create and support Fire Adapted Communities and resilient landscapes in the Flathead area by providing leadership, technical assistance, education, and resources. This group meets at the DNRC NW Land office in the DNRC conference room in Kalispell, MT, on the 3rd Wednesday of each month from 9-11, unless other arrangements are made. To reach contact FireSafe Flathead, contact aulwelling@mt.gov or visit their website to learn more.
Fire in the Root Council: Fire in the Root seeks to to promote and facilitate the long-term reduction of risk from wildfire, and adaptation to wildfire by communities and residents throughout Ravalli County. This group meets at the Victor Volunteer Fire station at 2383 Meridian Rd, Victor, MT 59875. on the first Tuesday of each month starting at 7:00pm. You can reach out to this group at fireintheroot@gmail.com.
Tri County Fire Safe Working Group (TCFSWG): This group is based out of Montana City, MT and focuses their efforts in Lewis & Clark, Broadwater, and Jefferson Counties. They meet the second Thursday of the month at 9:00am at the Montana City Fire Station. Amy Teegarden is the executive director of TCFSWG. You can reach her at exdir@tcfswg.org or www.tcfswg.org
Fire Adapted Big Sky: Working in and around the Big Sky area, Fire Adapted Big sky is a collaborative group led by the Big Sky Fire Department. The groups goal is to work together to build community resiliency and make Big Sky more fire adapted. Their core purposes are to: Act collectively ~ get more done together, Share information ~ learn from each other and be a hub for resources, and create wildfire awareness ~ prepare, plan, prevent. To contact Fire Adapted Big Sky, visit their Contact page.