National Wildfire Mitigation Award Bestowed Upon One of Our Own, Outstanding Service
Flathead National Forest’s Fire Prevention and Mitigation Specialist, Mike West, receives the highest national honor that can be awarded for Wildfire Mitigation. Mike is a vital member of Firesafe Flathead, a multiagency collaborative council, that has accomplished thousands of acres of cross-boundary hazardous fuels mitigation work, with millions of dollars in grants, has provided monthly educational opportunities and fuels mitigation information to the flathead community, and has hosted dozens of community wildfire risk reduction field trips throughout the valley.
“Mike has a gift for bringing the local agencies and stakeholders together and turning conversations into action and products,” one partner remarked for his nomination package.
Outstanding public service is engrained into Mike’s foundational values. He channels his deep commitment to lowering community wildfire risk into leading collaborative action focused on wildfire risk mitigation, organizing many meetings outside of work hours and on weekends.
Mike participated in landing a recent award – the five-year, $10 million Community Wildfire Defense Grant, Glacier Gateway Implementation Project. This innovative project, being led by Flathead Electric Cooperative and Montana West Economic Development, serves low-income communities adjacent to Glacier National Park treating over 3,500 acres and directly benefiting 80,000 community members. Mike hasn’t stopped there. He has worked collaboratively with agencies in successful Joint Chief’s applications, Flathead County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, Flathead Valley Community College wildfire mitigation workshops and has volunteered at several Fire Adapted Montana Learning Network events, helping to mentor other local collaboratives across our state.
West also spearheaded the recent Blacktail Powerline Project, an exemplary collaborative planning effort between the Flathead National Forest, Flathead Electric Cooperative, Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation, and Blacktail Mountain Ski Area with the objective of increasing electrical grid reliability while decreasing the risk of wildfire in the Lakeside community. The project will be implemented by Montana DNRC through the Good Neighbor Authority.
“Mike is a force multiplier in our Montana community and beyond, and I am proud to support his nomination for the Wildfire Mitigation Award,” said Shawn Thomas, State Forester, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.
“Firesafe Flathead has connected our community members with multiagency stakeholders” said Flathead Forest Supervisor Anthony Botello. “Mike diligently provides critical information about fuels mitigation work and creates opportunities that work across jurisdictional boundaries. He’s proactive, galvanizing, and innovative in his efforts to prevent wildfire impacts to our communities.”
Firesafe Flathead is active across the Flathead valley representing the Flathead National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Natural Resource Conservation Service, National Forest Foundation, Montana West Economic Development, local volunteer fire departments, forest products industry, landowners, Flathead Building Association, insurance entities, homeowner’s associations, and private individuals. Learn more at: www.firesafeflathead.com.
Source: Flathead National Forest press release
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Wildfire