LIVING IN THE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE (WUI)
Many residences in the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area are in the wildland-urban interface, meaning they are at risk from wildfire. The resources below offer guidance and materials to help decrease your risk from wildfire. Let’s all work together to keep our families, neighbors, and property safe!
Before A Wildfire
be prepared with a Wildfire Evacuation plan
Be wildfire-ready! You and your family should be prepared to respond and react to an approaching wildfire safely and efficiently. An important part of leaving early is preparing ahead of time. Take the time to create and practice a wildfire evacuation plan with your family. There are many resources online to aid in building your family’s evacuation plan:
FEMA Wildfire Evacuation Checklist (PDF)
Montana Fire Info: Evacuation Preparedness
Western Fire Chiefs Association: Create Your Wildfire Evacuation Plan and Checklist
American Red Cross:: Wildfire Safety and Video: How To Quickly And Safely Evacuate From Wildfires
Remember to include pets and livestock in your emergency evacuation plan!
Gallatin County Emergency Management Community Notification System
The Community Notification System is a mass notification product that officials in Gallatin County use to provide urgent information to our community. In addition to its primary goal of providing emergency information, registered residents who wish to receive non-emergent information can request to receive that too.
Register for the Gallatin County Notification System
During active incidents, Gallatin Country Emergency Management also provides updates on their Public Information Phone Line at 1-406-582-3175.
GALLATIN COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PROVIDES ASSISTANCE FOR Fort Ellis residents
Studies have shown that treating the area within 100 feet of your home greatly reduces the potential impacts of a wildfire. This is not a program that asks homeowners to clear-cut their properties. If you are interested in participating in this program, you can request a FREE Home Risk Assessment, and Gallatin County staff will meet with you on your property. Mitigation projects could range from hand-thinning areas around your home and structures to larger, forest-thinning type projects - depending on property size and continuity with neighbors.
Homeowners may then apply for a grant that will cover 60% of their out-of-pocket expenses. If the grant is awarded, Gallatin County Emergency Management (GECM) will provide a list of contractors. A service contract is then developed between the Property Owner and the Contractor. After the work has been performed as defined in the prescription, the property owner pays the Contractor in full and submits a reimbursement request to Gallatin County for 60% of the total cost.
Engage your neighbors - GCEM would be happy to speak to a group of residents in the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area! For more information about Wildfire Mitigation and to learn about these cost-share programs, please visit Wildfire Mitigation – Gallatin County Emergency Management. If you have any questions, please call 1-406-548-0118.
Montana dnrc wUI structure assessment resources & preparedness
Request a Free Wildfire Preparedness Site Visit
Free site visits are available by a local fire professional. He or she will assess your property and provide recommendations on how you can reduce your wildfire risk.
DNRC Structure Assessment Form (for self-assessments)
Use this detailed self-assessment to identify vulnerabilities around your home and recommendations for improvement.
DNRC Wildland Personal Fire Action Guide: Ready, Set, Go!
A plan designed by Montana DNRC to help you get ready, get set, and go when a wildfire approaches.
Montana programs
MSU Forest Stewardship Program
Your forest is managed by you and driven by your objectives. By identifying your primary goals and concerns and objectively formulating an action plan based on best available science and biological surveys of your land, the MSU Forest Stewardship Program will help you develop a Forest Stewardship Plan that is nationally accredited and certifiable.
FireSafe Montana: Home and Land Owners
FireSafe Montana is a private, non-profit organization coordinating and supporting a statewide coalition of diverse interests working together to help Montanans make their homes, neighborhoods, and communities fire-safe.
Fire Adapted Montana connects and supports people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. The Fire Adapted Montana Learning Network works collaboratively to develop new ideas, connect people, and share strategies across Montana to support fire-adapted communities.
building a Wildfire-resistant Home and Landscape
Gallatin County Emergency Management: Wildfire in Gallatin County
The information on this page will provide homeowners with a variety of information on how they can help reduce the damage done to their house in a wildfire.
Headwaters Economics: Building a Wildfire-Resistant Home: Codes and Costs
Technology and standards exist today that will make communities safer. This study finds negligible cost differences between a typical home and a home constructed using wildfire-resistant materials and design features. Decades of research and post-fire assessments have provided clear evidence that building materials and design, coupled with landscaping on the property, are the most important factors influencing home survivability during a wildfire.
NFPA FireWise: How To Prepare Your Home for Wildfires
Wildfire risk reduction steps that can make your home safer during a wildfire.
YouTube Video: Defensible Space and Structural Assessments
Division Supervisor Trainee, Kyle Miller, explains how to reduce hazards within the immediate zone of your home by using non-flammable building material, and managing vegetation on your property. Taking these steps can greatly increase the likelihood of your home surviving a wildland fire.
National Community Programs
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) FireWise USA
Become a FireWise USA community of residents reducing wildfire risks.
FEMA & US Fire Administration Fire-adapted Communities
A fire-adapted community (FAC) collaborates to identify its wildfire risk and works collectively on actionable steps to reduce its risk of loss. This work protects property and increases the safety of firefighters and residents. Creating a FAC is a part of the National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy to keep communities safer during a wildfire event.
During A Wildfire
Pay attention to your surroundings.
Keep track of the weather and fires near you and listen to instructions from local authorities.
Be ready to leave quickly with your emergency evacuation kit.
You might not get an official notice to evacuate.
Be ready to leave if local authorities advise, or if you feel you are in danger.
If in doubt, get out!
Resources:
American Red Cross of Montana (Bozeman Office 1-800-272-6668)
InciWeb (Wildfire Incident Information System)
National Weather Service (weather)
National Weather Service (Watches, Warnings & Advisories)
After A Wildfire
Wait for officials to say it’s safe before going back home. The following links provide guidance on safety basics, inspecting your property, how to clean up safely, and tips to stay healthy in a burned area.
Western Fire Chiefs Association: What To Do After A Wildfire
American Red Cross:: Wildfire Safety
Asbestos and Natural Disasters Guide
FEMA: Recovery Resources for Wildfire (PDF with links)
American Red Cross: Disaster Relief & Recovery
Western Fire Chiefs Association: Wildfire Recovery for Communities: How to Rebuild and Cope
It’s normal to have a lot of feelings and stress after a wildfire. You can contact the Disaster Distress Helpline for free if you need to talk to someone at 1-800-985-5990 or text “TalkWithUs’ to 66746.