BUTTE - Deadfall and downed timber litter the floor around the forest of Butte’s Basin Creek Reservoir, which is why forest service officials spent the past few years trying to clean this mess up, and they say all this effort could one day save Butte’s drinking water supply.

“The object is to remove some of that fuel loading, make it more defensible should a start in here. Protecting Butte’s water supply,” said Montana Dept. of Natural Resources and Conservation representative Ann Parks.

Curious about how deadfall impacts Butte's water supply? Click to watch our video and discover the ongoing efforts to make the area safer from wildfires

Since 2023, a project to remove fuels, such as down trees and branches, from the 2,300-acre area around the reservoir has been ongoing. This area was literally a tinderbox waiting to go up in flames.

“At this point, it’s not a matter of if, but when lightning strikes somewhere in this area, under these conditions, it’s completely unsafe to put any sort of firefighter guys in here,” said Parks.

A major burn could send sediment from a wildfire into the reservoir and cut off a resource that provides 60 percent of Butte’s drinking water.

“You can’t fix it, it takes too much money and, you know, for several years after that it will continue to fill your reservoir,” said Sean Steinebach, the outreach forester for Sun Mountain Lumber.

The Forest Service gave area county representatives a tour of the project area. Work will continue to thin out the fuels, and it should be completed in three to five years. Officials praised the cooperation and timing of the project.

“You couldn’t have a more important project than this one,” said Steinebach.

Officials say this is why forest management is so important.

“Our forests and our open spaces provide clean drinking water. This is it. This is providing your clean drinking water,” said Steinebach.