SWCA Begins Its 100th Community Wildfire Protection Plan with City of Whitefish

SWCA Environmental Consultants has been selected by the City of Whitefish, Montana, to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) following a competitive procurement process. The selection marks a milestone for SWCA as the firm begins its 100th CWPP nationwide, reflecting more than two decades of experience supporting communities in wildfire preparedness and resilience.

In October 2025, the City of Whitefish conducted a formal request for proposals that attracted submissions from eight qualified firms, followed by an interview process with the top five firms. The selection committee made up of Fire Chief Hadley, Deputy Fire Chief/Fire Marshall Pedersen, Deputy Mayor/City Councilor Sweeney and City Manager Meeker selected SWCA based on the firm’s experience with similar projects, the assigned team member qualifications, the familiarity with Whitefish and related wildfire risks and the competitive project budget. SWCA’s contract amount of $88,000 comes in under the City’s $100,000 project budget.

Work on the Whitefish CWPP will begin shortly, with completion anticipated by August 2026. The plan will be developed in close coordination with the City, local fire and emergency partners and community. The planning process will include a community workshop and a public review period, giving residents the opportunity to review the draft plan and submit comments.

“Achieving our 100th Community Wildfire Protection Plan, for a community as critically vulnerable as Whitefish, Montana, underscores our commitment to advancing science-backed wildfire mitigation strategies. This milestone reflects over two decades of dedicated expertise in enhancing community resilience against the increasing threat of wildfires, a critical need formally recognized by the Healthy Forest Restoration Act in 2004 which provides a framework for local governments to address increasing wildfire risks.” says Victoria Amato, Principal Planner of Fire and Forestry with SWCA.

SWCA has an office in Whitefish. The CWPP will be led by fire planners and technical staff based in Montana and the broader region, including the former Assistant Fire Management Officer of Glacier National Park and the former Superintendent of the Great Northern Type 2IA Crew located in the Swan Lake Ranger District, bringing local knowledge and on-the-ground experience to the project.

By the Numbers

SWCA has developed 100 CWPPs nationwide, guiding collaborative planning efforts to strengthen wildfire resilience across the United States.

• 19 States
• 95 Counties
• Plus 21 CWPP updates and implementation projects representing repeat business, including three Hazard Mitigation Plans covering the entire state. Three Firewise projects and this is the third CWPP in Montana.