During a recent government meeting, Richard Hilter of Whitefish addressed the council regarding fire safety measures as the community approaches the wildfire season. Hilter reminded council members that only nine months remain to implement necessary actions from a list of ten potential initiatives he provided a month ago.

One of his key suggestions is to mandate the mowing of vacant lots during fire season to mitigate fire hazards. Hilter noted that city staff, led by Alan, have surveyed all streets and identified unmaintained lots, emphasizing the need for a systematic approach to address these risks.

He outlined a three-pronged strategy to tackle the issue: education, regulation, and enforcement. Hilter proposed that the city should first educate landowners about the fire hazards and how to mitigate them. If no regulations currently exist to enforce lot maintenance, he urged the council to consider drafting such regulations. Lastly, he suggested that while enforcement should be a last resort, the city should proactively address violations rather than waiting for complaints.

Hilter plans to return in a month to discuss the remaining action items, highlighting the urgency as the community prepares for the upcoming fire season.