BOZEMAN — In Montana, wildfires have become an expected part of life. Now, Montana State University is planning ahead by getting younger generations involved in wildfire resilience.
WATCH STORY HERE:
“Here in Montana, what do wildfires mean?” I asked Suzi Taylor, “Any of us who have been here for a while, we just expect it now.”
Taylor is the director of the Science and Math Resource Center at Montana State University, a role that reflects what she describes as a lifelong passion for rural communities.
“I grew up in a really small town where my dad was the only science teacher,” Taylor said. “So I think I just always had this fondness for working with rural communities.”
That passion led Taylor to partner with Future City, a national program that encourages middle and high school students to imagine and design cities of the future.
“Future City is a national program that helps middle and high school students think about a future city,” Taylor said.
This year’s theme, “Fire Resilient Future,” challenges students to design cities that can prevent, withstand, and recover from wildfires.
“Super appropriate for towns like us in the West,” Taylor said.
Montana middle school educators teaching grades 6-8 can apply for funding and technical support from Montana State University to participate in the project. Students will gain experience in design, engineering, and model building while working with MSU mentors to solve a real-world problem.
“We all just saw what happened in Spokane,” Taylor said. “It was really sad, but it could happen in many places in Montana.”
Recent fires, including the Sand Creek Fire, which burned nearly 32,000 acres and destroyed structures, highlight the importance of wildfire planning and structural resilience.
“If you live anywhere out West now, it doesn’t matter if you’re in a big city or a rural environment — wildfire is at your front door,” said Bozeman Fire Chief Josh Waldo.
Waldo, who has served as Bozeman’s fire chief for 11 years, is no stranger to wildfires.
“The Bridger Foothills Fire was really kind of a testament to how well this community works together,” Waldo said.
He was excited to hear about the Future City program and the opportunity for students to think through wildfire challenges.
“These are things that no one really thought about 50 years ago, and so we’re working through those challenges now,” Waldo said.
Waldo said he hopes students will consider fire-resistant construction materials, landscaping and road access in their city designs.
“Some non-combustible construction — I’d really like to see their landscaping, and the roads are a big deal,” Waldo said. “Can the fire department get in and out, and when we get there, do we have water?”
He also hopes the program sparks conversations about residential fire sprinklers.
Taylor said she hopes the project will inspire students in rural communities to become more interested in science.
“Especially in small towns, we may not have a science museum or a ton of science activities out of school, so we really want to work with towns and middle school students excited about science,” Taylor said.
Five middle schools will be selected for the program. Applications are due Sept. 7.
To apply, visit this link: https://www.montana.edu/smrc/stem-outreach/futurecity.html
