West Valley Fire Rescue

08/19/2026

Tuesday Night Training at West Valley Fire Rescue

Last night, crews spent Tuesday training working through a simulated basement fire. When you don’t have a basement in your training building, you improvise—and put the ladder truck to work.

Crews worked on accessing and attacking the simulated fire, pulling and advancing hose, chainsaw operations, command functions, ladder truck operations, and most importantly, working together as a team on the fireground.

Training gives our members the opportunity to practice these skills, learn their roles, and work alongside the people they will depend on when the real call comes in.

We never know what the next emergency will bring, but nights like this help make sure that when you need us, West Valley Fire Rescue is trained, prepared, and ready to respond.

07/29/2026

Training Night at West Valley Fire Rescue

Training never stops.

Tonight’s focus was all about water supply operations, getting comfortable operating the ladder truck, and giving our drivers valuable time behind the wheel. These are the nights that build confidence and experience before they’re ever needed on an emergency scene.

Every hour spent training makes us a little more prepared to serve our community when the call comes.

A big thank you to all of our volunteers who continue to give up their evenings to learn, train, and improve their skills. Your dedication is what keeps West Valley Fire Rescue ready to respond, day or night.

07/05/2026

🇺🇸🚒 Happy 4th of July from West Valley Fire Rescue! 🚒🇺🇸

Both stations are staffed, the trucks are ready, and our crews are here if you need us.

Meanwhile, Chief Dave and Jen are out in the command making the rounds with West Valley stickers and firefighter rubber duckies for the kids because apparently the official mascot of community safety today is a tiny duck with a fire hat. 🐥🔥

If you see us driving around, give us a wave! We’d love to say hi and hand out a few goodies while supplies last.

Please celebrate safely, keep fireworks legal and responsible, watch the wind, soak your spent fireworks, and remember: the only thing we want lighting up tonight is the sky. 🎆
Stay safe, West Valley!

07/04/2026

Happy 4th of July from West Valley Fire Rescue! 🇺🇸

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Independence Day as we celebrate 250 years of America’s freedom.

Our volunteers will be on duty and out in the community tonight while everyone enjoys the fireworks. If you’re celebrating with fireworks, please do so responsibly:

• Use them only in a safe, open area.
• Keep a water source or fire extinguisher nearby.
• Never leave fireworks unattended.
• Properly dispose of used fireworks by soaking them in water.

Although we received some much-needed rain last weekend, the last few days of hot temperatures, low humidity, and wind have quickly dried the fine grass fuels. Even though the grass is still green, it can ignite and spread fire much faster than many people realize.

Let’s all do our part to keep this holiday fun, safe, and memorable for the right reasons.

Have a safe and Happy 4th of July, and enjoy celebrating America’s 250th birthday!

06/30/2026

Parking Lot Project Complete

Last week, Mother Nature had other plans and brought us some much-needed rain, so we had to postpone the second half of our parking lot project.

Today, the crew from Yellowstone Pavement Solutions was back to finish the job. A huge thank you to them for helping us keep our facilities looking their best while protecting our parking lot for years to come.

With a fresh coat of black sealant and crisp new yellow stripes, Station 1 is ready for another busy Montana summer.

We appreciate the great work and partnership from Yellowstone Pavement Solutions!

06/30/2026

Burning Restrictions Begin July 1

Just a reminder that open burning will close in Lewis and Clark County on July 1. This seasonal closure happens every year to help reduce the risk of human-caused wildfires during the hottest and driest part of the summer.

While Mother Nature has been good to us and many areas are still green, it won’t take much sunshine, warmer temperatures, and a little wind for fire danger to increase quickly. Suspending open burning helps reduce unnecessary fire department responses and lowers the risk of wildfires in our community.

Fire conditions will be reevaluated around the end of August or the beginning of September. When conditions improve and it is safe to do so, open burning will be allowed again.

Recreational backyard fires and campfires are still permitted, provided they are contained within an improved fire ring or fire pit. That means your fire should be surrounded by rocks, steel, or another non-combustible material designed to contain the fire.

As always, never leave a fire unattended, keep a water source and shovel nearby, and make sure your fire is completely out before leaving it.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep Lewis and Clark County safe this fire season.

06/30/2026

Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and co-workers.

We are saddened to share the identities of the three firefighters we lost responding to the Knowles Fire in western Colorado on Saturday. The firefighters were assigned to the Rifle Helitack crew and were engaged in initial attack operations on the Knowles Fire when the incident occurred.

The deceased firefighters have been identified as:
💜Emily Barker, 38, of Clinton Township, Michigan, assigned to the U.S. Forest Service Rifle Helitack.

💜Nick Hutcherson, 27 of Glendale, Arizona, assigned to the U.S. Forest Service Kaibab National Forest.

💜Sydney Watson, 27, of Warrior, Alabama, assigned to the U.S. Wildland Fire Service Rifle Helitack.

Two additional firefighters were injured during the incident and are receiving medical care.

“We mourn the loss of three firefighters who answered the call to protect others and made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their fellow citizens,” said U.S. Wildland Fire Service Chief Brian Fennessy. “Our thoughts are with their families, loved ones, friends and crewmates as they face an unimaginable loss. These firefighters embodied the courage, professionalism and selflessness that define the wildland fire service. Please join me and my family in keeping our thoughts and prayers with the families of the fallen and our injured firefighters and their families.”

The full press release can be found here: https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/identities-released-three-firefighters-who-died-responding-knowles-fire-colorado

06/27/2026

West Valley Fire Rescue Update

One of the other improvements we’ve made recently at Station 1 is giving the front of the station a much-needed facelift.

What was once just a large grassy area has been transformed into a landscape that better reflects the pride we take in our station and our community.

A huge thank you to Mae Clark with Urban Prairie Landscape for helping us design a space filled with trees, shrubs, and plants that are well suited for Montana’s climate. Her knowledge and expertise helped turn an ordinary lawn into a welcoming entrance that will continue to grow and improve for years to come.

The before-and-after photos show just how much of a difference thoughtful planning and the right landscape design can make. We look forward to watching everything mature over the coming years and continue making Station 1 a place our members and community can be proud of.

This is just another step in our ongoing effort to take pride in our facilities and provide a welcoming appearance for everyone who visits our station.

06/24/2026

West Valley Fire Rescue Update

While we continue to stay busy with our usual medical responses, the big news this week is happening right here at Station 1.

Our parking lot is getting some much-needed maintenance with a fresh seal coat and new striping. Keeping our facilities in good shape helps ensure we’re ready to serve the community when the next call comes in.

A huge thank you to Yellowstone Pavement Solutions for being great to work with and helping us complete the project in two phases. Their flexibility allows us to keep all of our apparatus accessible and ready to respond throughout the process, ensuring there is no interruption to emergency services.

We appreciate their partnership and understanding of the unique needs of a fire department.

When the tones drop, we’re still ready to roll. 🚒

West Valley Fire Rescue
Serving our community 24/7, no matter what’s happening around the station.

06/21/2026

From all of us at West Valley Fire Rescue, we would like to wish all the dads, grandpas, papas, bonus dads, and father figures a very Happy Father’s Day.

A special thank you to those who are spending the day serving their communities and working to keep others safe. Your dedication and sacrifice do not go unnoticed.

We hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Father’s Day.