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Fort Ellis Fire Department
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The Fort Ellis Crew August 17, 2004

No Burn Ban in Effect as of June 12, 2004

It is VERY dry (even though we just received about 2" of rain)! We may institute a burn ban at any time so PLEASE make sure you call in to the burn permit number BEFORE starting any controlled burns.
Thanks,
Chief Cady
Click here to find out more about burn permits and burn bans.

Fort Ellis Fire Service Corporation Annual General Meeting
 Wednesday, July 21, 2004
7:30 p.m.
Fort Ellis Fire Station
3725 Bozeman Trail Road

The annual general meeting of the Fort Ellis Fire Service Corporation will be held on Wednesday, July 21, 2004 at the fire station. Please come to hear our annual report and plans for the coming year(s), and join us for coffee and cookies.

Annual Picnic and Burger Bash
Thursday, May 27, 2004

The 2004 picnic and Gallatin Valley Junior Fiddlers concert was a great success this year. We decided to hold it earlier than normal this year to keep this event away from our normally busy (and may be very busy this year) wildland fire season. The Fiddlers were great, as usual, and more than 150 hamburgers and 60 hotdogs were grilled by your firefighters.
Thanks to all who came and joined in the party and who contributed to its success.

Contents

Fort Ellis Fire Service Area

Community Profile

The Fort Ellis Fire Service Area encompasses approximately 55 square miles of suburban, rural, farmland, wildland interface, forested areas and interstate highway east of Bozeman, MT. As a Fire Service Area, we are mandated by state law to provide structure protection. We also provide wildland fire protection and suppression, vehicle extrication, and basic life support, non-transporting, emergency medical services. We respond to 100-120 calls per year.

The area has seen considerable growth in the past 10 years with the number of structures growing from just over 500 in 1989 to nearly 1,100 today. In addition to residential structures, there are several small businesses including several cabinet shops and an autobody shop. There is one secondary (private, boarding) school and three elementary schools. As a rural area, our water supply is all tender/tanker based except for two hydrants on our boundary with the city of Bozeman.

Risk Analysis

Interstate I-90 and a railroad run through the area providing opportunities for numerous fire starts, particularly wildland fires, motor vehicle accidents, and hazardous materials incidents. In 2003, automatic traffic recorders on I-90 logged 12,314 vehicles per day, with 1,700 of these large trucks. I-90 traverses the Bozeman Pass (5,700') and descends a steep and narrow canyon in our area. Frequent accidents occur in bad weather. Montana Rail Link averages 18 - 22 trains per day through our fire service area. In 2003, 43,258 railcars were manifested as carrying hazardous materials. The major threats to our community of 1,000 structures and approximately 2,700 residents (and to our firefighters) are wildland fire, hazardous materials incidents, and earthquakes. More than one-third of our residences are in the wildland interface zone and roughly one-half of all calls are to motor vehicle accidents on I-90. We average one structure fire per year, not including mutual aid calls (about 2-3 per year), and we also experience a train derailment or accident every few years. In addition to these "everyday" threats, a 500 psi Northwestern Energy natural gas pipeline and the Yellowstone Pipeline Company gasoline products pipeline traverse our area.

Fort Ellis Fire Service Area Map

Click here to download a map of the Fort Ellis Fire Service Area (611 Kbytes)

Burn Permit Information

Burn Permits are available at the following locations
Fort Ellis Fire Station
3725 Bozeman Trail Road
Tuesdays, 6:30 - 7:00 PM 		US Forest Service
Bozeman Ranger District
3710 W. Fallon St.
Monday - Friday 8:00 - 5:00
MJH Enterprises
 650 Canyon View Road
586-8883
M - F, 8:00 - 12:00 		Belgrade Fire Station 1
 205 E. Main, Belgrade
Monday - Thursday 7:30 - 5:30 		Or call
Chief Cady - 586-2582 or
Ralph James - 582-4272
Open Burning Allowed with a Gallatin County Burn Permit

Essential Agricultural Burning on a farm or ranch is allowed with a permit to eliminate excess vegetative matter from irrigation ditches, cultivated fields, and improve range conditions or wildlife habitat. This burning is allowed from March 1 through October 31.

Prescribed Wildland Open Burning is allowed with a permit for the improvement of wildlife habitat, reduce fire hazards, controlling forest pests and forest regeneration. Prescribed wildland open burning may be conducted between March 1 and November 30.

General Open Burning is any burning other than the two listed above and may be done between March 1 through August 31.

For any burning during the months of September through November the burner must call 1-800-225-6779 for an Air Quality Report in Airshed 8A for burning at the burner's elevation.

Materials Prohibited for Open Burning by ARM 17.8.604
  • Food Wastes
  • Styrofoam and Other Plastics
  • Animal Droppings
  • Dead Animals or Dead Animal Parts
  • Asbestos or Asbestos-containing Material
  • Treated Lumber and Timbers
  • Pathogenic Wastes
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Materials Resulting from Salvage Operations
  • Automobile or Aircraft Bodies and Interiors
  • Insulated Wire
  • Oil and Petroleum Products
  • Standing or Demolished Structures
  • Wastes Generating Noxious Odors
  • Poultry Litter
  • Tires
  • Rubber Material
  • Tar paper
  • Chemicals
  • Asphalt Shingles

    • Any individual igniting an open burning fire without having first obtained an open burning permit is in violation of 7-33-2205 MCA, is guilty of a misdemeanor (7-33-2206) and is subject to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 6 months in the county jail or a fine not to exceed $500.00 or both pursuant to 46-18-212 MCA.

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    Open Burning Allowed without a Gallatin County Burn Permit

    Recreational and Heating Fires: Small recreational fires in controlled areas and construction heating devices. A recreational fire (camp fire) must be less than 3 feet in diameter with 6 foot flame heights.

    Burn Barrels: Burn barrels are a metal barrel of less than 60 gallons with a screen covering the top, at least 10 feet from all flammable material. No material may be burned in a burn barrel that is prohibited under state law.

    Recreational and heating fires and burn barrels are prohibited during county-wide burn bans imposed by the Gallatin County Commissioners


    Burn Bans

    Almost every summer we experience a period of significant fire danger due to dryness and weather conditions. There are many fires that can be safely burned in this time but we just can't take the chance because fires can get away so quickly, as was shown when the Jackson Creek fire started from a resident burning some leaves and grass. (There wasn't a burn ban in effect at that time but there sure could have been.) So please humor us and bear with us and we will rescind the ban as soon as we can.

    There are two types of burn bans that may be in effect. When a County-Wide Burn Ban is enacted by the county commissioners, ALL outside burning is banned, INCLUDING burn barrels and campfires or recreational fires. This is rarely done. More frequently, a ban may be enacted by the Fire Chief of your area. Burn barrels and recreational fires are not banned during this time but it would be a lot safer for everybody if you refrained from burning anything outside during this time.

    When burn bans are enacted in the National Forest lands, they can have Stage 1 or Stage 2 restrictions and when Stage 2 restrictions are in place, all fires are prohibited. Also, you may not operate a motor vehicle off a designated road or trail. Click on the link above to find out more about these levels of burning bans.

    If you have any questions about the status of the burn ban or what is allowed or prohibited, do not hesitate to call Chief Cady at 586-2582 or the County Fire Warden at 388-4480.



    Fire Links

    Links to Weather

    Wildland Fire Links
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    Explanation of fire weather acronyms and terms

     Fire Weather Watch = the potential exists for severe fire weather in the near future, usually 12-72 hours in advance of expected onset of RED FLAG conditions.
    Red Flag Warning = imminent danger of severe fire weather or when severe fire weather already exists.  Generally given 24 hours before conditions exist.
    Red Flag Conditions:
    1.  Dry thunderstorm activity during an extremely dry period.
    2.  Winds increase to 20 mph or higher or change direction abruptly due to approaching or passing cold front, squall line etc.
    3.  Unusually hot and dry conditions (RH below 20%).
    4.  Combination of conditions listed above.
    5.  Forecaster foresees a change in weather resulting in sufficient increase in fire danger.

    LAL = Lightning Activity Level, is used for computation of lightning risk.  The index runs on a scale from 1 to 6 with 1 being no thunderstorms or building cumulus, 5 meaning numerous thunderstorms and 6 indicating a RED FLAG situation.
    CWR = Chance of Wetting Rain, is a percentage figure use to indicate possible rain. The figure will not be mentioned if below 10%.  Wetting Rain is a fall or 0.10 inches or more in a major area.
    RH = Relative Humidity the expected minimum and maximum values, i.e. minimum RH 15 to 20 percent.  RH below 20% is considered very dry.
    Haines Index is a stability index ranging from 1 to 6.  It correlates relates very well with large fire growth.  The Haines Index is not a fire danger rating system. It should be used for existing fires or new fire starts.  Caution: Wind is not factored into the Haines Index.  2-3 = very low, 4 = low, 5 = moderate, 6 = high.  Note: pay close attention to Haines Index 5 and 6.

    Want to become a Fort Ellis Firefighter?

    The Fort Ellis Rural Fire Department is always looking for new volunteers. You DON'T have to go into burning buildings to be a member of the fire department, and you don't have to be an ironman. Female volunteers are especially valuable, particularly if they can respond during the daytime. We need help in all activities of the fire department including management, building and equipment maintenance, and emergency medical care as well as wildland and structure fire responses. You DO have to care enough about your neighbors, friends and families to give a little of yourself and your time to help out when they have an emergency.

    We respond to 100 - 130 emergencies each year including:

    • Medical Emergencies - heart attacks, diabetic emergencies, falls, cuts.
    • Motor Vehicle Accidents - mostly on I90, these may involve extrication with the jaws of life, medical treatment of trauma injuries, and scene safety and traffic control.
    • Wildland Fires - lightning strikes in the forests, fires along the railroad, out-of-control "controlled" burns and trash fires.
    • Structure Fires - relatively infrequent, fortunately, but we have to be prepared for them.
    • Mutual Aid - to surrounding districts for structure and wildland fires.
    How do we do all this and still stay safe? We train to properly respond to emergency situations. We have training meetings twice per month (the second and fourth Tuesday) with a third meeting for those interested in emergency medical care. Fort Ellis firefighters are expected to attend a minimum of thirty hours of training per year. Those that do receive credit toward the Volunteer Firefighters Retirement fund. Volunteers who serve 20 years will receive a retirement benefit of $150 per month.

    If you are interested in medical emergencies and first aid, we will give you the opportunity to become a state-certified first responder, and many of us have gone on to become EMTs.

    We are committed to providing as much training as you can stand and regularly send members to training around the state and to the highly regarded Cody Fire School and our own local wildland engine academy.

    What does one have to do to be a member of the fire department? Stop by the station (3725 Bozeman Trail Road) any Tuesday evening around 6:30 PM for a tour and pick up an application form. We provide an initial orientation training for you to learn our safe operating procedures before allowing you to respond to calls. We operate safely, we have a new facility and are planning to acquire new fire apparatus to meet the rapidly changing character of our fire service area. Interested? Call Chief Cady at 586-2582 for more information. Then come and join in the fun and participate in your community.

    Fire Fighter Application (pdf file)

    Fort Ellis Newsletters

     The newsletters are just too darned big to put up here so call the station (587-0236) and leave a message or email us if you would like us to mail you a newsletter.

    Contacting Us

    Fire Station:
    3725 Bozeman Trail Road
    587-0236
    ftellisfire@imt.net

    Chief Fred Cady, 586-2582(H), 994-5976(W)
    ftellisfire@imt.net

    Board of Directors:
    President: Bud Burkhart    , 587-7801
    Vice-President: Roy Metcalf, 586-6886
    Trustees:
    Katie Cady    , 586-2582
    Pete Fay, 585-0225
    Ruth Thibeault, 587-9258
    Secretary-Treasurer: Tony Geis, 586-2878