The Helena City Commission on Dec. 23 recognized Brad Lang, the city’s open lands manager, with the Sunny Steiger Wildland Fire Mitigation Award for his work on fuel mitigation and open-lands management. The Tri County Fire Safe Working Group presented the honor during the commission meeting.

Lois, president of the Tri County Fire Safe Working Group, said the nonprofit formed after the 1984 North Hills fire to focus on fuel mitigation across Lewis and Clark, Jefferson and Broadwater counties and that Sunny Steiger helped organize early regional efforts. "This is an award for exceptional effort in mitigation for wildfire," she said, citing long-standing local collaboration.

Lang accepted the recognition and credited colleagues and partner agencies. "This award is for all the men and women that have taken the forest with me over the years, all of my fellow department members, and the wonderful agencies that I work with — Montana DNRC, U.S. Forest Service, Tri County Fire, and Federal Emergency Management Association," he said.

Commissioner Logan praised Lang’s ability to work with private landowners and contractors to advance mitigation across city lands, saying Lang was a "fierce advocate for wildfire mitigation and firefighter safety." Doug Smith, parks and recreation director, noted Lang has previously won the award.

The commission did not take formal action on the award; the recognition was presented as part of the meeting’s presentations. The meeting then proceeded to its consent agenda and regular business.

Provenance: Presentation and remarks recorded Dec. 23, 2024, during the City of Helena commission meeting.