Welcome to the Bitterroot Valley!  Did anyone tell you about wildfires?

One of the things that makes the valley such a great place to live
is our close proximity to nature.

Bitterroot Wildland Urban Interface Task Force
wants you to know about fire in our natural environment and
how it may affect you, especially in the interface.

Are you saying there's a danger from wildfires?   Yes

What is the interface?  We call anyplace where human
habitation meets or intermixes with wild vegetation an
interface area. This could include grasslands or river-bottom
lands as well as the more obvious forested lands in the
foothills of the Sapphire and Bitterroot Mountains.

Aren't fires rare?   No, The Bitterroot National Forest averages 250 wildfires per year. In fact, periodic fire is a natural part of our localwildlands. Most wildfires are aggressively suppressed, and have been for nearly 100 years.

So what's the problem?    Materials that fuel wildfires have built up over the years and the forest has changed. Wildfires are becoming more difficult to suppress. At the same time more people are building homes farther into native vegetation in poorly accessible areas. Protecting these people and their homes in a wildfire may be impossible at times.

No protection!   What do you mean?  Task Force members believe that the best protection
is the work that has been done in advance of a wildfire.

The Task Force has representatives from county government, federal, state and local fire protection agencies. Individual members include foresters, experts in wildfire, interface homeowners and concerned citizens.

We at the Task Force are dedicated to improving the protection of people, property and our natural resources from wildfire. Members believe that the best protection is the work that has been done in advance of a wildfire.

The Task Force is working toward improved protection by acting as a liaison between interested parties, a clearinghouse for information and ideas, and a conduit for grants aimed at these problems.

The group meets as a sub-committee of Bitter Root Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D). Meetings are normally held monthly and are open to the public.

Office and clerical services are provided by Bitter Root RC&D. To get further information, call, write or stop by the office at the USDA Building in Hamilton, 1709 North 1st Street.

Phone # (406) 363-1444 ext. 5
Fax # (406) 363-5011