Wildfires Increase Flooding Risks

Recent hot temperatures and dry conditions have triggered wildfires throughout the state. While some wildfire effects are predictable, a lesser-known effect can be an increased risk of flooding due to wildfire burns.

“It is difficult to think about flooding in the middle of or after a wildfire event. We urge residents to be observant of rapidly changing conditions, especially on uphill slopes, and be prepared for the possibility of flooding,” said Traci Sears, the Montana National Flood Insurance Program Coordinator at the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

While most flood even...