'Era of Megafires' film shows June 14 in Whitefish

The Whitefish Fire Department and Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation present “The Era of Megafires” on Friday, June 14, to inform the public about megafires and how fire has and will continue to affect Whitefish.

This engaging 1-hour film and discussion will cover the threat of fires in the Whitefish community, and how families can prepares their homes for wildfire. Representatives from the fire department and the DNRC will present information and answer questions. The meeting will be held in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall, 418 E. Second Street, and the presentation will begin at 6:30 p.m. For more information contact the Whitefish Fire Department at 863-2842.

Extreme fire danger is the new norm for summers in Glacier Country and across much of the West, according to a press release from the Whitefish Fire Department. Glacier National Park has experienced major fires, including the loss of structures, during three of the last four years. And wildfire is no longer restricted to rural, forested areas — wildfire has razed thousands of homes in urban areas across the West over the past year.

The 2017 Montana Climate Assessment highlighted the likelihood of future summers that are much hotter and drier than in the past, and these anticipated “flash droughts” could lead to a future of even more extreme fire danger in the Flathead.