The blackfoot challenge forestry and prescribed fire committee was organized to prioritize fuel mitigation efforts, strategize on treatments, and increase fire safety in communities

The intent of the committee is to lead to stronger partnerships across ownerships, creating more resilient forests for the future while simultaneously addressing the wildland fire threat. This project will support technical assistance and cost-share funding for hazardous fuel reduction projects on high priority parcels in the area served by blackfoot challenge, as identified through the community wildfire planning process and montana forest action plan. Funding will allow blackfoot challenge to provide landowners with home ignition zone assessments that will recommend practices to mitigate hazardous fuels near structures, reduce woody fuels along important access evacuation routes, and create strategic community fuel breaks within rural communities or in areas adjacent to or near BLM land natural resources. These strategic fuel breaks protect not only the people living in communities but also the BLM natural resources at risk of the wildfire threat. The fuel breaks, often along important access evacuation routes, secondarily result in greater and safer public access to BLM lands for recreational opportunities, including world-class hunting and fishing.