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County health staff, OEM and volunteers outline wildfire mitigation work and smoke-response plans
Summary
Meeting presenters described a recent Victor Fire Station wildfire‑mitigation event featuring a long technical presentation, continuing collaboration with the Fire in the Root program to place air purifiers in senior centers and Meals on Wheels locations, and OEM plans for wildfire and earthquake outreach and coordination.
Board members and staff on April 9 reviewed recent wildfire‑mitigation outreach and smoke‑response planning and described ongoing interagency coordination ahead of fire season.
Public health staff reported a community fire and smoke mitigation event at the Victor Fire Station that featured a technical presentation on forest‑fire mitigation. Several board members praised the event and noted strong turnout. One attendee described a roughly 90‑minute presentation by a Dr. Kolb that covered forest‑fuel management and mitigation practices and said the event left the audience better prepared to support mitigation on private property.
Staff described a collaborative effort with Fire in the Root to purchase air purifiers using budgeted grant funds. The purifiers will be staged at local senior centers and through Meals on Wheels as “safe spaces” where residents without in‑home filtration can gather during smoke events. Staff said they will map residents in remote two‑track road locations who may have evacuation difficulty so first responders and volunteers can coordinate assistance; they also plan to track relevant information to identify households that may need targeted support.
The county’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) reported preparations for fire season, participation in a Montana seismic conference in Kalispell and work with a new fire warden to coordinate response. OEM staff said some planned programs have been scaled back this year but that county participation in multi‑jurisdictional exercises and conferences will continue.
Why it matters
County officials called attention to wildfire season preparations and the need to expand smoke‑response capacity for older adults and residents without in‑home filtration. The air‑purifier placements and mapping of evacuation‑challenged households are intended to reduce smoke exposure risks and speed assistance during emergencies.
Next steps
Staff will deploy purifiers through senior centers and Meals on Wheels partners, continue mapping and outreach to residents in remote access areas, and report back on the pilot safe‑space program and grant deliverables.
