Wildfire Changes Ahead? Montana’s HB 130 Could Reshape Firefighting and Costs

Part of living in Montana means that no matter where you are, you will have to eventually deal with wildfires. Whether that means being close to fires or experiencing smoke from other fires in the west and sometimes from Canada.

Fighting wildfires in Montana is an important aspect of managing our state. There is a bill that addresses wildfire management in Montana currently making its way through the legislature.

Montana's House Bill 130 looks to revise the state's wildfire management policies and funding.

HB 130, sponsored by Llew Jones, from Conrad, Montana, emphasizes firefighter safety and proposes changes to the way wildfires are fought in Montana.

The bill looks to streamline wildfire fighting and promotes interagency cooperation. The bill states:

Engage in wildfire suppression activities in the state regardless of land ownership. If the department determines that the federal wildfire suppression activities within 5 miles of department or county wildland fire protection.

The bill also looks to make private property owners more responsible in managing their resources and land by mitigating fire hazards. Homeowners can do this by thinning vegetation, prescribed burning, insect and disease treatments.

The bill also addresses costs that come with fighting wildfires granting authority to "bill the recognized federal protection agency for costs incurred in suppression when appropriate."

HB 130 has passed the House with a vote of 99-1 and has been sent to the Senate. If the Senate looks at this bill the same way the House did, there is a strong chance this bill will be crossing Governor Gianforte's desk.