Montana art contest highlights wildfire prevention

Second-grader Hale Devins from Seeley Lake Elementary won first place in an art contest to promote wildfire safety, beating out over 800 entries from across Montana.

The theme for the 63rd Keep Montana Green Association statewide art contest was “Go the Extra Mile Each Time You Burn a Pile,” to promote how to safely reduce fuels for wildfires.

The contest comes just months out from the start of wildfire season in the Treasure State, and following a mild winter, low snowpack and drought, smokey skies may be around the corner. With 75% of wildfires being human caused, Keep Montana Green says escaped pile burning, or debris burning to get rid of wildfire fuels that get out of control, is the most common reason for unintentional fires.

Devins’ art will be featured in the annual Keep Montana Green calendar, along with the second and third place winners – Madysen Lines of Browning High School and Logan Kellom of Hobson, respectively. Each statewide winner took home a cash prize of $125.

Entries were judged by originality, design, slogan, artwork, and prevention message by regional Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) Land Offices before advancing to the statewide round, judged by DNRC fire and forestry professionals.

“Every year we receive truly wonderful illustrations, and it is always hard to choose a winner. Living in Montana means we must live with fire, but these young artists do a great job envisioning a world with fewer human-caused wildfires,” said Julia Berkey, Keep Montana Green Association executive director in a statement.

Berkey told the Daily Montanan winners are competing mostly within their age divisions, “which allows younger students, like Hale, to have a fighting chance for the top spot against technically stronger students like Madysen.”

Judges use a formula for how top artists compared in their age range, and in this case, Devins’ piece scored higher in the primary division (kindergarten thru 3rd grade) than the second and third place overall winners in their categories.

The Keep Montana Green Association has sponsored 63 art contests since 1961 with the mission of creating a lasting interest in preventing human-caused wildland fires.

The organization provides educators with access to fire safety, prevention, and conservation resources related to the contest.

“Escaped pile burning is our No. 1 cause of human-ignited wildfires in Montana, and it is 100% preventable. That’s why, this year, we chose a theme that encourages the responsible use of pile burning,” said Berkey. “We are hoping educational campaigns such as this can help inspire a new generation of young people who know how to burn their debris piles safely and effectively.”