Wildfire Resources

West Lolo Complex Fire. Photo By: Montana Public Radio.

Wildfire Preparedness For Members

Affectionately nicknamed “Big Sky Country,” Montana offers unmatched scenery, eight national parks, plentiful wildlife, and recreation opportunities galore! However, Montana living does not come without risk.

Smokey skies, scratchy throats and watery eyes are all too familiar to Montanans during fire season. Although irritating and unwelcome, these inconveniences pale compared to the devastation wildfires can leave behind. Wildfire size, frequency and severity have risen year-over-year, prompting a critical response from electric utilities.

Responsible for powering some of the nation’s most fire-prone, fuel-dense areas, Missoula Electric Cooperative’s policies, programs and procedures must manage or reduce the risk of system-caused wildfires. In 2020, MEC developed a comprehensive Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP), which has proven essential to our operations. The WMP details the Co-op’s wildfire mitigation strategies, programs, adopted technologies and operational practices that have been implemented to reduce the potential for system ignitions. These critical efforts help the Cooperative keep equipment, employees, members, communities and neighboring cities and states safe.

As a business or homeowner, having a wildfire plan in place is essential. When you’re ready to start building your plan, consider using the resources below.

Download and print the documents, below, for quick reference:

Living with Fire: Homeowners’ Guide for Montana (PDF)

Ready, Set, Go Montana Guide (PDF)

Use the following links to access helpful web content:

Firesafe Flathead MT

Red Flag Warning Map

American Red Cross – Wildfire Safety Preparations

To request a wildfire preparedness site visit, use the link below:

Request a DNRC site visit

A visual of some measures co-ops take to avoid fire and mitigate damages:

Wildfire preparedness