BILLINGS — The state forester says the number of people joining volunteer fire departments in Montana’s rural districts is on the decline, which could impact efforts to combat wildfires.
The Billings Gazette reports that Bob Harrington with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation discussed the shortage Thursday with the Environmental Quality Council.
Harrington says the agency will work to address some of the challenges during the offseason.
The DNRC trained 4,000 across the state in 2015.