Why It Matters: Prescribed fire is one of the most efficient and cost-effective tools used for forest and wildlife habitat managers across the United States. However, the dangers associated with the use of fire, along with the public’s conflation between prescribed burning and devastating wildfires, can make its use intimidating to those who lack professional training. Fortunately, Montana HB 84 would create a certification program to provide practitioners with training and liability protections designed to promote the use of prescribed fire in Montana.
Highlights:
- Montana HB 84, called the “Prescribed Manager Certification and Liability Act,” was recently heard in the House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee.
- HB 84 creates a prescribed fire manager certification and defines liability standards for certified managers, two steps designed to address uncertainties surrounding the risks associated with the use of prescribed fire.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) is working closely with partners and members of the Montana Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus in support of HB 84.
Last week, House Bill 84 (HB 84) received its first hearing in the Montana House of Representatives’ Natural Resources Committee. Title the “Prescribed Manager Certification and Liability Act,” HB 84 creates a prescribed burn manager certification and defines liability protections for those who receive the certification and utilize prescribed fire as a land management tool in Big Sky Country. As one of the most efficient and cost-effective tools available to land managers, this legislation would represent a major victory if passed.
Given the importance of low-intensity fire to many ecosystems across the country, as well as the role that prescribed fire can play in reducing fuel loads that contribute to devastating wildfires, many in the conservation community support the increased use of prescribed burning. Unfortunately, misconceptions about prescribed burning and liability concerns are often cited as a reason that practitioners avoid its use. By creating a certification program that includes well-defined liability standards for those who receive their certification, Montana would join states like Missouri and Arkansas in addressing these concerns while promoting prescribed burning across the state.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation and many of our partners from across the sporting-conservation community stand in support of HB 84 and will continue to advocate on behalf of this important legislation as it continues through the legislative process.
