‘Very high fire danger’ persists in Big Sky

Fire Adapted Big Sky offers helpful wildfire hub for fire prevention, preparation and evacuation

By Mario Carr EBS CONTRIBUTOR

Amid a prolonged dry and hot summer, Big Sky Fire Chief Dustin Tetrault is calling on residents and guests of Big Sky to take personal responsibility by recognizing the current fire danger and doing their part to prevent a wildfire, as well as being prepared in the event that a fire does break out. The Fire Adapted Big Sky Wildfire Hub is a central location where the Big Sky community can stay up-to-date on current fire danger, air quality conditions, as well as find helpful information on how to better fireproof their homes and properties and learn how to pack a go-bag should an evacuation be necessary. Additionally, Tetrault highly recommends that anybody living in or visiting Big Sky should sign up for the Gallatin County Emergency Notification System.

One point of emphasis in wildfire preparedness is knowledge of the areas of refuge in the event of an evacuation. With U.S. Highway 191 and Jack Creek Road being the only roads in and out of Big Sky, residents are encouraged to utilize areas of refuge in the event of a wildfire-caused evacuation. These areas include the free skier parking at Big Sky Resort, BASE community center, the Big Sky Golf Course and Lone Peak High School. Tetrault explained that these areas were chosen due to their size, their non-combustibility and fire protection features.

“When it comes down to wildfire response and preparedness, it’s not just the fire department—it’s the entire community,” Tetrault said.

Several weeks of hot temperatures, combined with little precipitation have created very high danger throughout Big Sky with little change in the weather for the foreseeable future. 

“We just came out of the last two weeks of probably some of the hottest weather on record that we’ve had around here… We haven’t really had any substantial moisture since before the Fourth of July and it looks like more of the same for the next few weeks,” Tetrault said. 

With these conditions Tetrault is continuing to emphasize diligence and care, especially when we consider how long our fire season can last.

“The last few years, even in September, we’ve been pretty hot and dry with more of an extended fire season and fire risk,” he said.

Mindfulness is key, Tetrault said, and he’s calling for everyone in Big Sky to keep every possible ignition source in the back of their minds at all times. Beyond that, the fire department is looking for more community members willing to take an active role in preparing and educating their peers.

Community involvement

The Fire Adapted Big Sky Wildfire Hub has been working to educate the community through corporations, HOAs and Neighborhood Ambassadors. Mel Crichton is one of 11 NAs in Big Sky, and he has worked close with the fire department to help spread as much knowledge as possible on how to prepare and prevent fires. Crichton wants to help the HOAs in Big Sky prepare action plans for fire response in their neighborhoods, and he said this requires the community to rally around neighbors that may need more assistance in the event of an emergency.

“Most of the deaths in wildfires come from people who don’t evacuate, and most of those people are old or compromised,” Crichton said.

Another hazard is the smoke during fire season, which is harder on the vulnerable people in the community. Fire Adapted Big Sky aims to help anybody seeking some relief from the smoke with instructions on how to create their own air filters. The smoke levels around Big Sky are currently moderate and near average, according to Tetrault, but could change in the coming days.

Starting July 31, Fire Adapted Big Sky will have an information tent at the Big Sky Farmers Market through September where they will be spreading the word about how to prepare for and prevent fires and get involved with community engagement.

Crichton encourages anybody who is interested in fire safety and caring for their neighbors in the event of an emergency, to consider becoming an ambassador. 

“We’re just trying to recruit enough to get a reasonable saturation into the community, and we’re really looking for the go-getters,” he said.

One can never be too prepared for a fire, and that is why the Fire Adapted Big Sky Wildfire Hub exists and is eager to share as much information as possible with everybody living in and visiting Big Sky.

“Number one is evacuation and safety,” Crichton said. “Number two is getting your home ready in case a fire does come through.”