Wildfire season: It's time to prepare, prevent, protect

All residents throughout Montana are encouraged to participate in Wildfire Awareness Month this May.

The purpose is to raise awareness about community preparedness and what risk reduction steps you can take to prepare your family and property.

More than 1.3 million acres burned across Montana in 2017; making it one of the most significant wildfire years in history.

While wildfires can occur at any time of the year, the majority of wildfires in Montana occur between May and September of each year.

May, is an ideal time to promote wildfire awareness in Montana so that residents and visitors can begin to reduce wildfire risk to their properties and communities through hazardous fuels reduction, incorporation of fire resistant building materials, and upkeep around their properties to maintain the wildfire risk reduction actions they have done previously.

Residents in areas with a potential for wildfires can lower their risk through their preparedness efforts.

Proactive actions from a single individual, or entire neighborhood, contribute to a safer community when wildfires happen.

Ensuring you have the correct permits, with burning permits now required, you can do your best to ensure you keep yourself, your family and your property safe.

You can become a local champion through committing a couple of hours or an entire day to improving your property’s defensibility and resiliency; and contributing toward your community becoming more fire adapted.

A few ways to prevent and prepare for wildfires:

- Clean out gutters, roofs and other areas where debris has settled

- Avoid burning on windy days and never leave a burn pile unattended

- Create an evacuation plan and practice the route with family members

- Keep the space around your home, known as the home ignition zone, clear of dense vegetation

Do you have trees and shrubs touching your home or wood chips surrounding your home?

Consider trimming shrubs and trees so they are at least 3 feet from your home and replacing flammable landscape material with nonflammable options like gravel or stones. For more wildfire safe landscaping ideas you can go to firewise.org.

You should also at least two evacuation routes and make a grab and go bag with important family documents, medications, and other essential items. Or if you have a fire protection safe, make sure it is in an easy accessible location so you can grab and go if need be; or if you do not have the time to do so safely your important documents are in a fire safe location.

Make and rehearse your evacuation plan with your family, especially if you have small children. This can help them feel more comfortable in a stressful situation and ensure they get out safely with you. To find a Wildfire Awareness event near you visit keepgreen.org

Residents who live in or near wildfire prone landscapes can lower their risk through their preparedness efforts. Proactive actions contribute to a safer community when wildfires happen.

Preparedness is a shared responsibility and everyone has a role. Become a champion for wildfire safety in your community by encouraging others to take action.