Bigfork becomes 'Firewise'

Because of its efforts to reduce the vulnerability of homes and landscapes to wildfire, the Bigfork Fire District has earned Firewise Communities/USA recognition from the National Firewise Communities Program.

The Bigfork community is only the second in Montana to be recognized as Firewise Communities/USA, joining many other communities nationwide that have been recognized since the program's inception in 2002.

"This recognition is an honor for the entire Bigfork community, the residents, contractors, and cooperating agencies," Bigfork Fire Chief Rick Trembath said. "This is a national program and the entire community should be proud that we have the initiative to be proactive and reduce our vulnerability and to minimize the risk of home and property loss to wildfire."

To receive Firewise Communities/USA recognition, the Bigfork community has met a rigorous set of requirements. The community completed the following activities:

?Conducted and facilitated vegetation and fuel mitigation at various state, county, and community land parcels in and around Bigfork.

?Worked with Bigfork, Ferndale, and Swan Lake Fire District residents to access wildfire risk then offer suggestions for removing or reducing flammable vegetation in neighborhoods with emphasis around homes and other neighborhood structures.

?Distributed firewise educational materials and utilized news media to increase public awareness about wildfire risk.

?Conducted and attended numerous community meetings and open houses to explain and educate the community about the Firewise Communities plan and wildfire mitigation options for home and landowners.

"Achieving Firewise recognition is not a quick or easy process. Bigfork has done an outstanding job of creating a local Firewise Task Force and implementing Firewise principles," said Jim Smalley, manager of the Firewise Communities Program. "By preparing homes, structures, and landscapes before a wildfire occurs, the Bigfork community has dramatically increased the chance that homes and structures will be protected when a wildfire occurs."

To aid in the proactive regimen, the Bigfork Fire District applied for and received a Firewise Grant in 2004 to help homeowners reduce the hazardous fuels from around their homes in both the Bigfork and Ferndale Fire districts. In 2005 the Swan Lake Fire District was added to the program.

Chuck Harris, who has been administering the grant for the Bigfork Fire Department noted that "Bigfork has collectively done a lot to reduce the risk of wildfire by creating defensible space around homes. The Firewise Program is a national interagency program that encourages partnerships among communities, homeowners, and public agencies to develop and implement local solutions for wildfire preparedness—before a fire starts."

Trembath noted that the firewise principals have addressed safety concerns throughout the greater Bigfork area.

"Our effort has not just been focused on homeowners, but the entire community, like working with PacifiCorps and in Wayfarer's Park on fuels reduction," he said.

The Bigfork Fire District has been working with the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), the Forest Service, and Flathead and Lake counties. Wildfire hazard assessment plans were made to address local wildfire safety concerns.

"As more and more homes are being built in the rural forested area of our community, it becomes increasingly important for each homeowner to take personal responsibility to address the possibility of a wildfire entering their area," said Jeremy Pris with the DNRC. "It may not always be possible to have a fire engine in every single driveway during a wildfire emergency, so any work that can be accomplished prior to fire season will not only protect your home, but will help give firefighters the edge they need."

Working through the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), state forestry agencies support the Firewise Communities/USA recognition effort. The program is a nationwide initiative that recognizes communities for taking action to protect people and properties from the risk of fire in the wildland/urban interface. This program is of special interest to small communities and neighborhood associations that are willing to mitigate against wildfire by adopting and implementing programs tailored to their needs. The communities create the programs themselves with cooperative assistance from state forestry agencies and local fire staff.

For more information, visit www.firewise.org.