Fire Districts and Service Areas

Fire Service Areas

Resources: Rural Fire Council

Rural Fire Districts

All Fire Service Area and District Maps:

Rural Fire Council
Rural Fire Council Roster(PDF, 58KB)


The Board of County Commissioners may establish and govern Fire Districts through MCA TITLE 7. LOCAL GOVERNMENT, CHAPTER 33. FIRE PROTECTION, Part 21. Rural Fire Districts.

The Board of County Commissioners is authorized to establish fire districts in any unincorporated territory upon presentation of a petition in writing signed by the owners of 40% or more of the real property in the proposed district and owners of property representing 40% or more of the taxable value of property in the proposed district.

After the board of county commissioners establishes a fire district, the commissioners:

(1) may contract with a city, town, private fire company, or other public entity to furnish all fire protection services for property within the district; or
(2) shall appoint five qualified trustees to govern and manage the fire district.

Generally, the Commission chooses to allow trustees to govern and manage the district. In addition, the trustees of a fire district generally enter into contracts for fire protection services of a volunteer fire department.

Many of the Rural Fire Districts and Fire Service Areas have mutual aid agreements that allow assistance between entities- providing better service to our residents.

Rural Fire Districts receive funding through mill levy elections (15-10-420)