Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Wildfire, fire management and air quality news for western Montana and the Northern Rockies.

Firefighting Costs Montana $10 Million

The Bridger Foothills Fire forced evacuations and burned homes north of Bozeman in early September 2020.
Custer Gallatin National Forest
The Bridger Foothills Fire forced evacuations and burned homes north of Bozeman in early September 2020.

This year 1,876 fires have burned more than 406 square miles in Montana.

The price tag to date on Montana’s share of this year’s fighting costs is $10 million, according to information Bullock shared at a news conference Wednesday.

He said while 50 some homes and some people’s means of livelihoods burned, Montanans have been fortunate that no lives have been lost to the burns at home.

"It’s still significant for the communities that have been impacted, that homes have been lost," Bullock said.

Fire starts this week have been relatively light. Bullock said that’s enabled the state to maintain its readiness and initial attack capacity while responding to the firefighting needs of our western neighbors.

"At the same time we have also sent several engines and command vehicles to California through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact as well as mobilizing several engines to Oregon and Washington," Bullock said.

Bullock reminded Montanans to do their part in keeping fires from starting as 75 percent to this year’s fires have been identified as human caused.

Copyright 2020 Yellowstone Public Radio

Kay Erickson has been working in broadcasting in Billings for more than 20 years. She spent well over a decade as news assignment editor at KTVQ-TV before joining the staff at YPR. She is a graduate of Northern Illinois University, with a degree in broadcast journalism. Shortly after graduation she worked in Great Falls where she was one of the first female sports anchor and reporter in Montana.
Become a sustaining member for as low as $5/month
Make an annual or one-time donation to support MTPR
Pay an existing pledge or update your payment information