After the winter that wasn’t, we’re all wondering how extreme wildfire season will be this summer. On this episode, Outlaw Beat is joined by a fire behavior analyst who is qualified to give us answers to all our burning questions.

Jon Trapp is the Division Chief of Wildland Fire at Big Sky Fire Department and he is fresh off a regional planning meeting for western wildfires, so it’s a great time to find out what he knows so we’re all prepared for what’s in store.

Jon talks about the various conditions and weather patterns that are lining up against us, wildfire tendencies you should definitely be aware of, plus the technological advances that are giving firefighters an edge they’ve never had before.

And we don’t let Jon leave without having him answer fireman questions poorly written by children.

Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/fire

Brush up on the Wildfire Action Guide here: https://bigskyfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/2022HE-Big-Sky-Evacuation-Guide-R3-SINGLES.pdf

And Give Big April 30-May 1: GiveBigGV.org

Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcast

Our barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcasts

Help us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.

Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/

The Rocky Mountain area isn’t known for its lakes, but there’s one we’re all pretty proud of. It’s everyone’s favorite terminal saline lake: Utah’s Great Salt Lake that, sadly, is getting less and less great every year.

To find out why it’s shrinking, why that matters, and what we can do to turn things around, Outlaw Beat talks to lake expert Eric Edwards, senior fellow at PERC (the Property and Environment Research Center) and associate professor of agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis.

Eric dispels some major myths about the state of the lake, like how much climate change is to blame and the practicality of some of the “magic bullet” solutions that are floating around out there.

This episode matters if you care about the wildlife, clean skies, and winter sports that make Utah a special place to visit or live.

Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/GreatSaltLake

Read more about PERC’s work with the Great Salt Lake: https://perc.org/2025/04/11/optimism-for-the-great-salt-lake-starts-with-water-leasing/

And attend the Lone Peak Film Festival in Big Sky Sept. 17-20! LonePeakFilmFestival.com

Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcast

Our barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcasts

Help us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.

Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/

May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, so it’s time to become aware of cystic fibrosis (and what it is) with Bozeman’s Cody Dieruf Foundation, named in honor of a 23 year old woman who passed away due to CF in 2005.

Outlaw Beat gets a crash course in CF thanks to Foundation Board President Janel Shamblin and Executive Director Pam Western. And with Give Big Gallatin Valley 2026 coming up in a couple weeks, there’s never been a better time to show your support.

Watch the full interview: ExploreBigSky.com/episodes/cody

Give Big: https://www.givebiggv.org/organizations/cody-dieruf-benefit-foundation

Learn more about the organization (and those MT license plates!) here: BreathinIsBelievin.org

And grab a sloshie at Big Sky’s Cowboy Coffee: CowboyCoffee.com/Big-Sky

Follow us on instagram: @outlawbeatpodcast

Our barn at EBS: https://www.explorebigsky.com/outlaw-podcasts

Help us corral more listeners like yourself by subscribing and then reviewing us wherever you get your podcasts.

Still need more links? Okay here's one more. https://www.hoarymarmot.net/