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Office of Emergency Management

Preparing for Wildfires

Wildfires can occur anywhere in the U.S. but are most common in the West due to the landscape’s natural relationship with fire. Recently, wildfire conditions in the West have become more extreme and destructive as a result of extended drought, increased fuel loading, and communities expanding into the wildlands. Western Montana is a fire-prone landscape where it is not a matter of “IF” but “WHEN” a wildfire will occur, especially in Missoula County where populated areas have, on average, a greater wildfire risk than 96% of other U.S. counties.

Home Ignition Zone

Landowners are encouraged to maintain the area within 200 feet around their home (known as the Home Ignition Zone, or HIZ) and utilize ignition resistant building materials to sustain a wildfire adapted home, property, and community. Priority for all project work will be focused on the home and/or structures and work outwards to the extended zone. 

This graphic shows the zone around your home that will be better prepared to withstand a wildfire:

NFPA HIZ
 
Own Your Zone (Home Hardening)

During a wildfire, embers can be carried by the wind from over a mile away. These embers can land on your roof, accumulate at the base of your walls, and infiltrate your home through vents and other openings. They can also ignite materials on or under decks. In fact, embers are responsible for 90% of homes and businesses destroyed by wildfire. "Owning Your Zone" is the process of making your existing home and out buildings more wildfire resilient through home retrofitting and maintenance techniques. Check out these tips from Missoula County's Home Upgrade Hub!

Own Your Zone HIZ
 

Additional resources

Many Missoula County residents live within the Wildland-Urban Interface, which is any area where the combination of development (like homes and businesses) and vegetation can increase the risk of damage from wildfires. Below are some additional ways you can prepare your home and yourself for wildfires.

  • This cost-share program is available to help individuals and communities reduce flammable fuels around homes and private property. Learn more about the program from United Way of Missoula County. This is a collaborative program between United Way of Missoula County, the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management and local contractors.

  • Two fire departments in Missoula County may offer fuel mitigation services: Missoula Rural Fire and Frenchtown Fire. These services are offered to residents that live within each fire district respectively.

  • Service Foresters are available to help private landowners reduce their wildfire risk. Please contact the Missoula Unit of the Southwestern Land Office at 406-542-4321 or visit the DNRC fire prevention and preparedness webpage.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a community-based plan focused on identifying and addressing the local threat of wildfire. The CWPP determines what is at risk and provides a roadmap of actions for the community to address its wildfire risk. Missoula County adopted its first CWPP in 2005, with an update in 2018. The Office of Emergency Management led this effort and incorporated input from numerous stakeholders.

Grant Creek CWPP

The Friends of Grant Creek, with support from OEM, completed the Grant Creek Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2024.