fbpx

Montana Fire Fund Cuts Loom as Blazes Spread Across State

$30 million could be removed from fire fund if state revenue drops far enough below expectations

By Tristan Scott

HELENA — Montana’s $60 million reserve fund to fight fires could be halved as wildfires spread across the state in what officials say could be an expensive season.

Conditional budget cuts passed by state lawmakers earlier this year call for removing $30 million from the fire fund if state revenue drops far enough below expectations. That money would go to shore up the state budget and a $200 million rainy day fund.

Republican Sen. Pat Connell of Hamilton tells Lee Newspapers of Montana that he is concerned the state could come up short of money to pay for fighting fires.

The architect of the budget cuts is Republican Sen. Llew Jones of Conrad. He says there are other ways to pay firefighting costs if the season is more expensive than expected.