Fire Prevention
Prevention goals are to have zero lossed in life, injury, property, and resources; prevent human-caused fires; reduce suppression costs and to increase awareness. We can reach these goals by using the 3 E's (education, engineering, and enforcement).
Introduction
The cheapest fire to extinguish is the fire that never starts.
Each year the Montana DNRC and its many cooperators employ a variety of tools to prevent human caused wildfires across the state of Montana. Not only are the fires that never start the cheapest to fight, they are also the safest, produce the least smoke and they free up firefighting resources for other fires.
Using the past to help with the future
Statistics are a very important tool in identifying trends in human-caused fires. By identifying fire cause trends fire agencies can focus their efforts and resources in preventing the most common, or more costly fires to fight. Currently, Montana's most frequent human-caused fires are caused by debris burning and camp fires.
Safe Debris Burning Tips
Most escaped debris fires are a result of either burning when it is windy or people trying to burn more than they can control with the tools and resources at hand.
| Make sure you have enough help and the proper tools to contain the fire, a watersource and a few shovels and rakes at the very least. |  |
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Be aware of the weather. A sudden increase
in winds or even a shift in the direction can push a small fire
out of control in a surprisingly short time. |
Smokey Bear's Campfire Safety Tips
Here are a few tips from Smokey Bear to help make your campfires safe.
- Build your fire away from overhanging branches. (Most parks have campfire pits ready and waiting for you.)
- Use the existing metal fire ring; if one is not available circle the pit with rocks.
- Clear a five-foot area around the pit down to bare mineral soil.
- Keep a bucket of water and a shovel nearby.
- Stack extra wood upwind and away from the fire.
- After lighting, do not discard the match until it is cold.
- Never leave a campfire unattended, not even for a minute.
- When you do leave make sure the fire is DEAD OUT!
Keep Montana Green
Keep Montana Green has been a leader in range and wildfire prevention in Montana since the 1940's. KMG brings concerned citizens, businesses and organizations from across Montana together in a unified voice to help publicize the benefits of wildfire prevention.
Since 1960 Keep Montana Green has sponsored its annual Poster Contest that annually draws thousands of entries from school children across the state. By participating in the contest the students are exposed to KMG and its mission as well as the benefits of wildfire prevention. Additionally the entries are used to spread Keep Montana Green's message in advertisements, billboards and webpages.
NRCG Restrictions and Closures Information
Check here when fire restrictions and closures are in effect.
