Residents invited to open houses on wildfire protection plan

Open houses will be held in Missoula, Frenchtown, Bonner and Seeley Lake during the week of Nov. 16. All open houses will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome; no prior knowledge of wildfire planning is needed to participate. Residents from all areas of the county are encouraged to attend the open house that is convenient for them. Light refreshments will be provided.

• Tuesday, Nov. 17: Frenchtown Fire Station (16875 Marion St.)

• Wednesday, Nov. 18: Bonner School (9045 Hwy. 200 E.)

• Thursday, Nov. 19: Sullivan Community Hall in Seeley Lake (3248 Hwy. 83)

These events will provide opportunities for residents to connect with their neighbors, ask questions and share ideas to improve local wildfire risk evaluation and help shape the future of wildfire preparedness in Missoula County. County staff and agencies will be on hand to share information about wildfire resilience planning, practical resources and ideas residents can use to make their homes and properties more fire-adapted, and information about response and land management projects in the area.

“Whether you’ve lived here for decades or are new to the area, everyone has a role to play in preparing for wildfire,” said Adriane Beck, director of Missoula County Office of Emergency Management. “All residents can come to learn about the home ignition zone, which is the area around a home where simple steps like clearing leaves from gutters, moving firewood away from structures and managing vegetation can help reduce the risk of a home igniting during a wildfire.”

Community input is an essential part of a CWPP. Missoula County hosted the first round of open houses across the county in June and conducted a survey over the summer that received more than 800 responses.