PHOTOS: Second-grader Hale Devins from Seeley Lake Elementary won first place in an art contest to promote wildfire safety, beating out over 800 entries from across Montana. The theme for the 63rd Keep Montana Green Association statewide art contest was “Go the Extra Mile Each Time You Burn a Pile,” to promote how to safely reduce fuels for wildfires.
The contest comes just months out from the start of wildfire season in the Treasure State, and following a mild winter, low snowpack and drought, smokey skies may be around the corner. With 75% of wildfires being human caused, Keep Montana Green says escaped pile burning, or debris burning to get rid of wildfire fuels that get out of control, is the most common reason for unintentional fires.