Officials review interlocal emergency-services agreement covering Big Sky and resort areas

County staff and commissioners discussed an interlocal agreement with Gallatton County that covers emergency services for Madison County’s resort and service areas, including Big Sky and the Yellowstone Club.

Patrick, who presented on behalf of county emergency services, described ongoing work under the agreement: pursuing water-defense and fuels-reduction grants (to date unsuccessful but another opportunity is pending), expanding a fuels crew, redoing community evacuation and refuge mapping, and running a short-term emergency-notification system targeted at visitors and residents.

Patrick said the county ran a community-notification test in Big Sky and reported about 1,900 opt-ins on the targeted opt-in list (separate data sets exist for other outreach). He also described plans to update the county’s five-year emergency-management plan in 2026, to change plan language from a Gallatton County focus to a Madison County service-area focus, and to finish a health-mitigation and community-wildfire-protection plan this summer.

The county is expanding its fire operating plan and mutual-aid agreement this year to formally include the Yellowstone Club Fire Department for the first time, Patrick said, and noted coordination on qualification records, preseason wildfire coordination, and training support. Officials also described coordination with the Madison Ranger District on forest projects that could affect the 191 corridor and nearby communities.

County Administrator Jim Door joined the meeting remotely and offered no further additions. No formal action was taken; commissioners expressed support and encouraged continued outreach and joint meeting updates to inform Big Sky residents.

Next steps: staff will continue community engagement, pursue grant opportunities, circulate the updated emergency plan in 2026, and seek signatures or agreement approvals as needed.