Montana’s wildfire seasons have gotten longer and more intense, and rural churches, camps, and retreat centers are often sitting in exactly the kind of forested or grassland terrain that carries the highest exposure. Unlike hail or wind, wildfire risk is something a congregation can meaningfully reduce through simple property management, which makes it worth taking seriously well before smoke season arrives.
Defensible space is the single biggest factor insurers and fire officials point to. Clearing dead vegetation, dry grass, and low-hanging branches within 30 feet of any structure, keeping gutters free of pine needles, and storing firewood away from buildings can measurably change how a structure survives an approaching fire. Many rural fire departments and county extension offices offer free defensible-space assessments, which is a low-cost first step for a camp or church board to schedule.
Evacuation planning deserves equal attention, especially for camps and retreat centers that may have dozens of people on-site, including children, during peak fire season. A written plan that identifies primary and secondary evacuation routes, a headcount procedure, and a communication plan for reaching families should be reviewed with staff and volunteers every season, not just written once and filed away.
On the coverage side, wildfire-exposed properties in Montana increasingly require specialty or excess-and-surplus (E&S) market placement rather than standard admitted carriers, particularly for larger camp properties in timbered areas. It’s worth an annual conversation with your agent about whether your current carrier still writes wildfire-exposed risk in your area and whether your coverage limits reflect current rebuilding costs.
Action Items
- Schedule a free defensible-space assessment through your local fire department or extension office.
- Write (or update) an evacuation plan with primary/secondary routes and a headcount procedure, and review it each season.
This post is for general informational purposes only and isn’t legal or insurance advice — every policy is different, so please talk with a licensed insurance professional (or an attorney, for legal questions) before making coverage decisions for your church or camp.
