Gallatin County Emergency Management

Preparing Our Community

Serving Belgrade, Big Sky, Bozeman, Manhattan, Three Forks, West Yellowstone & Unincorporated Gallatin County.

Gallatin County Emergency Management

Current Information

Gallatin County Awarded FEMA Wildfire Mitigation Funding

Gallatin County received a formal award on May 23rd through FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program – Post Fire for Phase 1 of $1,068,360 in wildfire mitigation work on private property.  The proposed project will provide matching funding for home owners to conduct home ignition zone work around homes in the identified project areas.  This funding was allocated to the State of Montana following the Bridger Foothills Fire’s Fire Management Assistance Grant declaration in 2020.

Projects within 200 feet of structures will be identified and treatment plans developed in 2023 with project work beginning in 2024.  Home ignition zone work is intended to reduce the risk of structures catching fire during a wildfire.  Learn more about our wildfire mitigation program here.

Home Ignition Zones

The concept of the home ignition zone was developed by retired USDA Forest Service fire scientist Jack Cohen in the late 1990s, following some breakthrough experimental research into how homes ignite due to the effects of radiant heat. The HIZ is divided into three zones.

Immediate Zone

The home and the area 0-5’ from the furthest attached exterior point of the home; defined as a non-combustible area.  Science tells us this is the most important zone to take immediate action on as it is the most vulnerable to embers. START WITH THE HOUSE ITSELF then move into the landscaping section of the Immediate Zone.

  • Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers.
  • Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration.
  • Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8 inch metal mesh screening.
  • Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8 inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers.
  • Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustible materials from accumulating.
  • Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors – mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles – anything that can burn. Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches.

Intermediate Zone

5-30’ from the furthest exterior point of the home. Landscaping/hardscaping- employing careful landscaping or creating breaks that can help influence and decrease fire behavior

  • Clear vegetation from under large stationary propane tanks.
  • Create fuel breaks with driveways, walkways/paths, patios, and decks.
  • Keep lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches.
  • Remove ladder fuels (vegetation under trees) so a surface fire cannot reach the crowns.  Prune trees up to six to ten feet from the ground; for shorter trees do not exceed 1/3 of the overall tree height.
  • Space trees to have a minimum of eighteen feet between crowns with the distance increasing with the percentage of slope.
  • Tree placement should be planned to ensure the mature canopy is no closer than ten feet to the edge of the structure.
  • Tree and shrubs in this zone should be limited to small clusters of a few each to break up the continuity of the vegetation across the landscape.

Extended Zone

30-100 feet, out to 200 feet. Landscaping – the goal here is not to eliminate fire but to interrupt fire’s path and keep flames smaller and on the ground.

  • Dispose of heavy accumulations of ground litter/debris.
  • Remove dead plant and tree material.
  • Remove small conifers growing between mature trees.
  • Remove vegetation adjacent to storage sheds or other outbuildings within this area.
  • Trees 30 to 60 feet from the home should have at least 12 feet between canopy tops.
  • Trees 60 to 100 feet from the home should have at least 6 feet between the canopy tops.

HIZ Information provided from https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Preparing-homes-for-wildfire

Mountain Run Off to Increase This Weekend

Expect to see the water levels increase in local rivers over the weekend as warm temperatures increase the melt rate.  We are not expecting to see water levels increasing to the height where we typically experience flooding issues.  However, there will be significant flow and people are encouraged to be safe around the fast moving water.  River gauge information is available here.

A significant amount of water is still contained in the mountains and we should expect water levels to remain high for some time to come.  Satellite Snow Water Equivalent can be viewed here.  SnoTel Snow Water Equivalent levels are available here.

Preparedness

Debris Burning on Your Property

Debris Burning on Your Property

Burning is a common practice for many homeowners who want to get rid of yard waste such as leaves, branches,...

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Wireless Emergency Alerts

The Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system is a public safety system in the United States that allows government agencies to...

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Articles

Debris Burning on Your Property

Debris Burning on Your Property

Burning is a common practice for many homeowners who want to get rid of yard waste such as leaves, branches,...

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Wireless Emergency Alerts

The Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system is a public safety system in the United States that allows government agencies to...

Family Emergency Plan

Family Emergency Plan

Creating a family emergency plan is an important step in preparing for unexpected events that could affect your family’s safety...

Gallatin County Awarded Community Wildfire Defense Grant

Gallatin County Awarded Community Wildfire Defense Grant

Gallatin County is pleased to announce that our North Gallatin Front wildfire mitigation project has been selected for funding through...

Troy Downing: Are you ready for another flood season?

Troy Downing: Are you ready for another flood season?

Article available at:  https://csimt.gov/2023/03/21/troy-downing-are-you-ready-for-another-flood-season/ My team and I were on the ground in eastern Montana helping families work with their...

Emergency Community Notifications

Emergency Community Notifications

Emergency officials ability to quickly and accurately distribute emergency information to those affected is critical for our community.  This is...

SPRING FLOODING – IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME

SPRING FLOODING – IT’S ALMOST THAT TIME

As Gallatin County moves closer to spring, the risk of spring flooding increases.  While we can not predict if Gallatin...

Hazard Mitigation and Community Wildfire Protection Plan Adopted

Hazard Mitigation and Community Wildfire Protection Plan Adopted

After many delays the update of the County’s 2012 Hazard Mitigation Plan and the 2006 Community Wildfire Protection Plan into...

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