Fire Service Area

Overview

The Whitefish Fire Service Area was created on 11/30/1989 by the Flathead County Commissioners with Resolution No. 745A.  As a Montana Fire Service Area, the Whitefish Fire Service Area assessed a fee for fire protection based on per residential structure and contracted with the City of Whitefish Fire Department to provide fire protection to the rural areas.  

The Whitefish Fire Service Area includes approximately 86 square miles of unincorporated land surrounding the City of Whitefish.  

Whitefish Fire Service Area Map

Board of Trustees

The Whitefish Fire Service Area is governed by a five-member Board of Trustees that serve three-year terms of office, per the Montana Code Annotated (MCA - Title 7 Local Government, Chapter 33 Fire Protection, Part 24 Fire Service Areas).  

The current Board of Trustees for the Whitefish Fire Service Area are:

Dave Kauffman –  term expires 5/31/2023

George Losleben – term expires 5/31/2024

Ed McGrew – term expires 5/31/2024

Thomas Moran  –  term expires 5/31/2025

Open Trustee Role –  There is currently one open position on the Whitefish Fire Service Area Board of Trustees. Contact the Flathead County Commissioners Office for more information.  

Trustee Elections

Trustee elections must be conducted in accordance with Title 13, Chapter 1, Part 5, MCA.

The candidate filing deadline for a Special District election is no sooner than 145 days and no later than 85 days before the election.   

In order to be considered for a position on this Board, candidates must be an elector (an individual qualified to vote under state law) who resides in the Whitefish Fire Service Area or any holder of title to lands within the Whitefish Fire Service Area who presents a proof of payment of taxes on those lands. 

If there is only one candidate for a single position, the election will be cancelled, and the candidate elected by acclamation by the Flathead County Commissioners.  If there are no candidates for a position, the election will be cancelled, and the County Commissioners shall fill that position by appointment until the next election cycle.   

For more information on the election process, please contact the Flathead County Election Office at (406) 758-5535.  

Steering Committee 

The WFSA Board's Steering Committee members are Tom Moran, Ed Lieser, Will MacDonald, and Bill Korbin.  

Whitefish Fire Service Area Meetings

The Whitefish Fire Service Area Board of Trustees meets monthly on the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m. at Fire Station #22, located on the corner of Whitefish Stage Road and Hodgson Road at 1345 Hodgson Road in Whitefish, Montana.