Funding Lag
The Board reported that service-area revenue had not kept pace with inflation, population growth, and new infrastructure.
WFSA Plan for County Commissioners 2026.
The Whitefish Fire Service Area Board presented this funding plan to the County Commissioners in 2026. This page records the proposal as it was presented; the proposed fees are not current charges.
The figures below are a 2026 proposal, not an approved fee schedule.
The current annual residential fee remains $180. The Board asked the Flathead County Commissioners to approve a flat $420 annual fee. As of September 2026 the County Commissioners have not voted on the proposal. The current staffing request is six full-time City firefighters at an estimated annual cost of about $720,000.
Issues the Board Identified
Under-Staffed Response Team
The City of Whitefish Fire Department, which provides fire protection to the WFSA under contract, reports that its current staffing can manage one significant incident at a time. Overlapping incidents require mutual aid from neighboring agencies.
Oversized Area
The Board described a service area with disconnected neighborhoods, dispersed population centers, and limited water supplies for firefighting.
Rising Fire Potential
The Board identified accumulated fuels and continued development in forested areas as factors in its assessment of local fire potential.
Outpaced Regional Comparison
An April 2026 local comparison expressed WFSA's $180 fee as an estimated 9.3 mills. An owner-supplied comparison worksheet lists 17 surrounding fire districts: 16 are above that estimate and one, Ferndale, is below it.
Resident Concerns
The Board reported hearing concerns from residents about insurance, wildfire risk, and emergency-response capacity. The proposal was the Board's response to those concerns.
Proposed Service Changes
The 2026 plan proposed using additional revenue for the following service changes:
- Increase the City of Whitefish Fire Department's capacity to respond to overlapping fire and medical calls.
- Provide funding intended to support six additional full-time firefighters employed by the City of Whitefish, estimated at about $720,000 per year.
- Begin setting aside money for a future station and improvements to Station 22.
Proposal for the County Commissioners
The Board asked the County Commissioners to consider the following funding proposal. It should not be read as a current bill or an approved fee schedule.
Plan A
Flat-rate increase across all properties.
Adds $762,000 to the annual budget
Plan A was estimated to add $762,000* to the annual budget by increasing the annual fee from $180 to $420. The same listed amount would apply regardless of property value.
- Current fee
- $180
- Proposed fee
- $420
*These are historical proposal estimates based on the property count used by the Board in February 2026. They are not current charges.
How much will I pay?
| Taxable Value | Plan A |
|---|---|
| 0 – 999 | $420.00 |
| 1,000 – 2,999 | $420.00 |
| 3,000 – 4,999 | $420.00 |
| 5,000 – 6,999 | $420.00 |
| 7,000 – 8,999 | $420.00 |
| 9,000 – 10,999 | $420.00 |
| 11,000 – 12,999 | $420.00 |
| 13,000 – 14,999 | $420.00 |
| 15,000 – 16,999 | $420.00 |
| 17,000 – 18,999 | $420.00 |
| 19,000 – 22,999 | $420.00 |
| 23,000 – 26,999 | $420.00 |
| 27,000 – 32,999 | $420.00 |
| 33,000 – 38,999 | $420.00 |
| 39,000 – 49,999 | $420.00 |
| 50,000 – 59,999 | $420.00 |
| 60,000 – 69,999 | $420.00 |
| 70,000 – 89,999 | $420.00 |
| 90,000 – 119,999 | $420.00 |
| 120,000 + | $420.00 |