HELENA — Just when you think the United States fire season has entered a slow period, several large blazes erupted in southern California to begin 2025. Montana's firefighters are some of the most hardened and experienced in the nation, so when others need help, our local men and women will make the trip to wherever they are needed.
Three firefighters and an engine from Rich Cowger’s crew out of Columbus Rural Fire Department are currently one of the reserve squads in California, picking up vital lessons to bring back home.
(Montana firefighter talks about helping fire crews in California)
"California fires, typically in that fuel model that's in and around Los Angeles can be fast and flashy similar to the conditions we have around here," Cowger says. "So they get to interact with these resources and overall are able to build that experience level."
The Montana Disaster and Emergency Services or DES is one of the agencies that coordinates the dispersion of Montana emergency resources to states in distress. So far, they have confirmed to have sent 43 firefighters from local departments, as well as 13 vehicles, to California.
States are able to receive help with natural disasters through an agreement called the Emergency Management Assistance Compact or better known as EMAC. California has used this system to ask states like Montana to send aid for their destructive January blazes. But Montana can use the same piece of legislation to help with our own disasters.
"When we have a bad day in Montana and we need outside assistance, we know how to put in a request to the system that will go out to all fifty states or whoever we want to send it to, " says Supervisor of the Montana DES Charlie Gorman. "Then we will get those responses back and come to an agreement about the costs that is going to be associated with the length of stay and mission assignment."
The cost is not something that’s permanently coming out of Montana’s pockets.
"The local jurisdictions foot the cost of sending those firefighters and that apparatus down to California or wherever they are going to go," says Gorman. "But then there is a reimbursement that takes place from California, through Montana DES, and then back to the local jurisdictions that covers the firefighters' salary, equipment costs, travel, and food. It's all reimbursable."
Firefighters deployed by instruction of the Montana DES were sent on the second weekend of January and are planned to stay and assist for at least two weeks. But they can come home sooner or later based on the progress made and fire weather conditions.
