Fire is part of Montana.
That means we, as Montanans, must learn how to live with fire. You can prepare your home, yourself, and your community for wildfire by visiting MTFireInfo.org
Prepare Your Home & Property
Simple actions can help protect your home!
By removing flammable fuels around your Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) and retrofitting or hardening your home, you can greatly improve the chance of your home surviving a wildfire.
Maintain Your Home Ignition Zone
The Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) — a buffer of space around a home, typically up to 200 feet — is crucial for wildfire preparedness.
By performing simple maintenance tasks and removing fuels within the HIZ, the likelihood of a home igniting from embers, direct flames, or radiated heat from a wildfire significantly lowers.
Retrofit & Harden Your Home
Hardening your home with non-combustible materials in preparation for wildfire can greatly impact your home’s chance of survival during a wildfire event. This includes considering what type of materials your home is built with and how it’s designed, from the roof to the windows to the fence.
Request a Home Wildfire Risk Assessment
A Home Wildfire Risk Assessment is a free service provided by the DNRC that evaluates your home's vulnerabilities to wildfire. A local fire professional will visit your property to identify potential hazards and recommend specific actions to reduce your wildfire risk.
Learn more about this service in the FAQ below.
Frequently Asked Questions
A home wildfire risk assessment is a free service provided by the DNRC that evaluates your home’s vulnerabilities to wildfires. A local fire professional will visit your property to identify potential hazards and recommend specific actions to reduce your wildfire risk.
No. This service is provided free of charge by DNRC as part of our wildfire prevention and community protection efforts.
Yes! Fire danger can affect your home regardless of where you live, though risk increases the closer you are to or within the WUI. The assessment is also an excellent opportunity to discuss evacuation routes and plans that can benefit any homeowner.
Depending on the size of your home and property, an assessment can take anywhere from 60-90 minutes.
Yes. Your presence is important as it allows the fire professionals to discuss their findings directly with you and answer any questions you may have.
Please unlock any entrance gates and keep dogs inside the home before our arrival. It's also helpful to prepare any questions you might want to discuss during the assessment.
Initially, it’s helpful to complete one assessment to understand the recommended improvements to your property. Afterward, an annual assessment is beneficial, especially if you’ve completed recommended mitigation or significant changes to your property of home have occurred.
Fill out the request form, and a DNRC representative will contact you within 7 business days to schedule your in-person assessment.
Prepare for Smoke & Evacuation
A little planning goes a long way.
To be wildfire ready, you and your family should be prepared to respond and react to an approaching wildfire in a safe and efficient manner by creating an evacuation checklist.
Additionally, mitigate harmful smoke impacts with by keeping up to date with current fire information and current air quality.
Prepare Your Community
Wildfires don't stop at fence lines.
That means, we as Montanans, need to work with our neighbors to better protect our communities from wildfire.
If you're interested in engaging your community in wildfire prevention planning, contact your nearest DNRC Land Office to connect with a wildfire preparedness professional.
More Fire Prevention & Preparedness News
Wildfire Awareness Month May 2025
This May, DNRC's Community Preparedness and Fire Prevention Team will be sharing simple steps Montana homeowners and renters can take to prepare and protect their Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) from wildfire. Follow along on our Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Join an in-person event near you
Ravalli County Wildfire Preparedness Education
This school year, more than 380 fifth grade students across Ravalli County learned about wildfire ecology and preparedness through a collaborative education program led by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC), Fire in the Root Council, and the Bitterroot National Forest.
2025 Keep Montana Green Student Artwork Contest Winners Announced
This year’s statewide Keep Montana Green student artwork contest received 784 entries from schools and educators across the state, showcasing students’ creativity and dedication to promoting wildfire prevention.
Resources for Professionals
Looking for more in-depth resources? Here are a few.
Fire Adapted Montana Learning Network
2024 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Guidebook
Community Safety Through Regulation Guide
Guidelines For Development Within the WUI
