Montana Fire Suppression Efforts Expected to Grow

Residential development is adding to the costs of fighting wildfires in Montana, with a recent study showing that most years federal, state, tribal and county governments spend millions of dollars suppressing wildfires and protecting Montana homes in the woods.

According to Headwaters Economics, there is a strong correlation between the costs of fighting wildfires and the number of homes threatened, and the potential for significant increases in the costs of fire protection if current development trends continue.

The report further stated that:

• The pattern of development (dense versus spread out) is an important contributing factor.
• When large forest fires burn near homes, costs related to housing usually exceed $1 million per fire.

“If one house is within a mile of the fire perimeter for the entire duration of the firefighting effort, this would be associated with an additional $13,106 in wildfire firefighting cost,” the report said. “After accounting for differences in fire size, terrain and road access, each additional home within 1 mile of a wildfire is associated with a $7,933 increase in suppression costs, and each additional home within 6 miles of a wildfire is associated with a $1,240 increase in suppression costs.”

• As few as 150 additional homes threatened by fire can result in a $13 million increase in suppression costs in a single year.
• For all agencies involved in fire suppression in Montana, the estimated annual costs related to home protection for 2006 was approximately $55 million, and approximately $36 million in 2007.

“If current development trends continue, fire seasons similar to 2006 and 2007 could cost $15 million to $23 million more by 2025, bringing total fire suppression costs associated with homes to between $51 million and $79 million dollars. Adjusted for inflation, future costs could be as high as $124 million in 2025,” the report said.

The report estimated that 25 percent of the costs of protecting homes from wildfires are paid for by the state.

“As the development in fire-prone areas continues, it’s likely that state and local (governments) will pay an increasing share of the costs related to home protection,” the report stated, quoting Bob Harrington of the Montana Department of Natural Resources.

For more information, visit www.headwaterseconomics.org.