Mont. Code Ann. § 76-13-115

(1) the safety of the public and of firefighters is paramount in all wildfire suppression activities;

(10) catastrophic wildland fire in wildland-urban interface areas resulting from inadequate federal land management activities to reduce fire risk has the potential to jeopardize Montanans' inalienable right to a clean and healthful environment guaranteed in Article II, section 3, of the Montana constitution.

(2) it is a priority to minimize property and resource loss resulting from wildfire and to minimize expense to Montana taxpayers, which is generally accomplished through an aggressive and rapid initial attack effort;

(3) interagency cooperation and coordination among local, state, and federal agencies are intended and encouraged, including cooperation when restricting activity or closing areas to access becomes necessary;

(4) fire prevention, hazard reduction, and loss mitigation are fundamental components of this policy;

(5) all property in Montana has wildfire protection from a recognized fire protection entity;

(6) all private property owners and federal and state public land management agencies have the department has a responsibility duty to manage resources, mitigate fire hazards, and otherwise prevent fires on their property; engage in wildfire suppression activities in the state regardless of land ownership if the department determines that the federal wildfire suppression activities within 5 miles of department or county wildland fire protection are not consistent with 76-13-104. The department may, at its sole discretion, bill the responsible recognized federal protection agency for costs incurred in suppression when appropriate.

(7) sound forest management activities to reduce fire risk, such as thinning, prescribed burning, all private property owners and insect federal and disease treatments, improve the overall diversity and vigor of forested landscapes and improve the condition state public land management agencies have a responsibility to manage resources, mitigate fire hazards, of related water, wildlife, recreation, and aesthetic resources; otherwise prevent fires on their property;

(8) development of sound forest management activities fire to protection guidelines for the wildland-urban interface is critical to improving public safety reduce fire risk, such as thinning, prescribed burning, and for reducing risk insect and loss; disease treatments, improve the overall diversity and vigor of forested landscapes and improve the condition of related water, wildlife, recreation, and aesthetic resources;

(9) catastrophic wildland development of fire in protection guidelines for the wildland-urban interface areas resulting from inadequate federal land management activities is critical to reduce fire improving public safety and for reducing risk has the potential to jeopardize Montanans' inalienable right to a clean and healthful environment guaranteed in Article II, section 3, of the Montana constitution. loss; and

State fire policy

The legislature finds and declares that: