State and federal officials say they’re prepared to tackle Montana’s 2024 fire season. The remarks came as new data show the state’s water supply is below normal.
Interagency wildfire managers said they’re staffing up and ordering equipment ahead of the onset of fire season.
Matt Hall leads the fire protection bureau at the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
“Wildfire preparedness is not just a task for wildfire responders,” Hall said. “We also need citizens across Montana to take time and prepare for the potential impacts of wildfire this summer,” Hall said.
Hall encouraged Montana residents to visit mtfireinfo.org. The site hosts real-time maps of fires in the state, current burn restrictions and information about preparing your home or property to mitigate fire risk.
Hall said the department is working to fill a few remaining wildland firefighting positions.
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, Montana is expected to see its usual potential for significant wildfire through August.
DNRC said it’s too soon to predict the severity of the upcoming fire season, but water supply reports continue to paint a bleak picture.
The latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show marginal snowpack improvements in parts of the state in April. But, water year precipitation remains at 75-85% of normal across much of the state.
The agency says many monitoring sites between Missoula and Helena are reporting the lowest water year precipitation in 30 to 40 years.
