Wildland firefighters using Bitterroot location to train for aerial attack Dennis Bragg photo and last updated 2021-05-06 21:40:48-04 STEVENSVILLE â Often the sound of helicopters in the Bitterroot signals the beginning of another fire season. But today, it marked the location of critical training to keep those fires under control. For the first time ever, U.S. Forest Service rappel teams are using Western Montana locations to prepare for the upcoming fire season. Beginning with ground work in Missoula, these specialized firefighters from all over the Northwest went airborne Thursday, evaluating a new training location on private land just south of the Bass Creek Recreation Area.