Prairie County commissioners approve DNRC cooperative fire agreement

Prairie County commissioners voted to sign a cooperative wildfire agreement with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) after a DNRC representative described how the document maintains counties’ access to state fire engines, training and mutual-aid resources.

Dennis Teske, the DNRC presenter, told commissioners the agreement "when signed by both parties... the county commissioners [would sign] and then I'd take this back to Chris Boleski," explaining that the signed form satisfies specific provisions of the Montana Code Annotated and keeps the county eligible for state equipment and assistance. Teske said DNRC cooperator apparatus and training make county responses more robust during large wildfires.

The board moved to sign the agreement; Commissioner Christine (Speaker 1) made the motion and a fellow commissioner seconded. The board carried the motion by voice vote ("Aye"). The presenter said the commissioners would sign the form and the county fire warden, Dwight, would also sign before the DNRC receives the agreement in Helena.

Commissioners and the DNRC representative discussed operational details: how county co-op trucks are issued, transport logistics and that a draft local fire-management plan connected to the agreement would likely follow later. The DNRC representative estimated it may take roughly a year before a finalized fire-management plan is produced and coordinated with the county fire warden.

The agreement passed as a routine intergovernmental action; the board did not record a roll-call vote or list individual yes/no tallies in the transcript. The DNRC presenter said he would collect signatures and return a copy to county staff for filing.