Uncategorized
Fire season or hunting season?
Published
13 years agoon
By Diane Tipton, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks
With spring nearly undetectable, as it was this year, it might be said that Montana has only three seasons—winter, summer and fall. For hunters, make that winter, summer and hunting season. For wildland firefighters, that is winter, summer and wildland fire season.
Montana’s general deer and elk big game hunting begins Oct. 22, but archery hunting for antelope, deer and elk began Sept. 3, and other hunting began as early as Aug. 15. That means that Montana’s hunting season runs concurrently with its wildland fire season.
Wildland fire season is marked by smoke and adrenalin for many Montanans, including Jenny Dargan. Dargan is an FWP employee in Helena whose husband manages wildfires for Montana’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
“Each year fire season reminds me of how proud I am of my husband and the sacrifices he makes, while at the same time it tests my patience with his cell phone ringing non-stop and dinners as late as 10 p.m. some nights,” she said.
Dargan said everything from family vacations to weekend barbeques with friends are spur of the moment during fire season. If her husband is called to a fire, the plan is off.
“We have even celebrated his birthday without him,” she said. “But there is no changing it–fire fighting is in his blood, just as it was in his father and grandfathers’ blood before him.”
The hundreds of committed volunteers, paid personnel and firefighters who staff a typical Montana fire season include FWP game wardens. FWP wardens have been called upon to help out on wildland fires near Missoula, Seeley Lake, Yellowstone Park, Broadus, and other locations in recent years.
“Wardens assisted with the Beartooth Game Range fire in 2007 when Holter Lake and the game range were closed to the public,” said Kqyn Kuka, FWP warden from Great Falls. She and wardens Bryan Golie of Cascade and Joe Kambic of Deer Lodge patrolled the lake, explained the closures and went door to door to assist with evacuations.
“The 2009 Noble Fire in the north hills was directly north of our property,” Dargan said. “I left work early for home. As I got closer I panicked at the size of the fire, all of the emergency vehicles, road closures, and the crowds gathering.”
With assurances from fire fighting friends that her home would be OK, Dargan quickly turned to helping neighbors get their livestock out and putting together sandwiches, snacks and water for the fire crews.
Hunting and wildland fire fighting are two colorful, long-standing Montana traditions that come at about the same time every year. Each has its own language, culture, and history. Each, in its own way, brings people together and connects them to the land.
The Northern Rockies Coordination Center coordinates the work of dedicated people from federal, state and tribal land management organizations and mobilizes fire fighting resources. For comprehensive information about wildland fire in the northwest, and important links to Montana’s fire fighting organizations, visit the NRCC website at gacc.nifc.gov/nrcc/.
For help planning hunts during Montana’s wildland fire season, hunters can go to the FWP website at fwp.mt.gov. FWP’s drought and fire page and Inci web’s reports will be updated until the flames die out on another fire season in Montana.
For photos of past Montana fire seasons taken by FWP employees, visit check out FWP on Facebook.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
march, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy
more
Event Details
My Barking Dog is a nightmare comedy that tells the story of Toby and Melinda, two lonely people whose lives are forever changed the night they encounter a starving coyote at their apartment building. Over time they grow to expect him, leaving ritual offerings to entice the coyote every night. Toby and Melinda forge a connection over this visitor and share curiosity and concern about his presence in the city. The coyote expands their world–until, one night, their world is shattered. Their lives are pushed suddenly into uncharted territory, sending them on a surreal odyssey that changes their city–and the world–forever.
Directed by LX Miller. Starring Max Schneider and Denise Hergett
Verge Theater is continuing their mission to provide accessible theater to our community. Tickets for My Barking Dog are Pay What You Wish with a suggested price of $35. Audience members are offered the opportunity to select the price point that is comfortable for them when purchasing tickets.
My Barking Dog runs March 15-17, 22-24, 28-30
Performances on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays begin at 7:00 p.m., with Sunday matinees offered at 3:00 p.m.
Suitable for ages 16 . No animals are harmed in the staging of this production.
Tickets are available online at www.vergetheater.com
Time
15 (Friday) 7:00 pm - 30 (Saturday) 8:30 pm
Location
Verge Theater
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
29mar3:00 pm4:00 pmGood Friday Mass: St. Joseph Catholic Mission3:00 pm - 4:00 pm Event City:Big Sky
Event Details
Friday of the Passion of the Lord St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Event Details
Friday of the Passion of the Lord
St. Joseph Catholic Mission
Time
(Friday) 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm