We live in Montana House District 2, near Niarada, where wildfires are a real issue these days: Chippy Creek (2007), Elmo (2022), Niarada (2023), Sullivan (2024), and East Brown’s Meadow (2024). Wildfires can happen anytime and spin out of control quickly, despite best planning and local response. If the unthinkable should happen, many of us would rely on our insurance as well as the right to hold the responsible party accountable. For example, if a fire should start due to aging electric infrastructure, the utility should have some responsibility to make things right with impacted homeowners. House Bill 490, which is currently with the Montana House Judiciary Committee awaiting a vote, would shield utilities from nearly all liability for starting fires, even if the utility is at fault. Not only does this take away peace of mind for Montana homeowners and completely let utilities off the hook for maintaining infrastructure, but it would probably drive home insurance companies out of Montana. HB 490 does not even require utilities to have wildfire mitigation plans. Our own Rep. Tom Millett from Montana House District 2 sits on the House Judiciary Committee. He has a responsibility to us, his constituents, and all Montanans, to vote this bill down, and we hope he does.
Jeff & Joanne Morrow
Niarada