Robert “Bob” Mutch

Robert “Bob” Mutch passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 18, 2024, at the Big Horn Rehabilitation and Care Center in Sheridan, Wyoming. He had moved to Sheridan from Missoula, Montana in November 2023 to be with his sons, Dale and Brian, as his health declined due to congestive heart failure.

Bob was born on March 5, 1934, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Earl and Nellie Mutch. He graduated from Orange High School in 1952 and attended Albion College in Michigan, where he earned a B.A. in Biology and English and played football. It was there that he met Sara “Sally” Ball, and they married in September 1956. The couple then drove cross-country to Montana, where Bob had worked seasonally as a smoke jumper in 1954-55. They both enrolled at the University of Montana, where Bob earned an M.S. in Forestry in 1959.

From 1959 to 1960, Bob and Sally lived at the Priest River Experimental Forest in Idaho, where Bob worked as Superintendent. Their daughter Linda was born in Sandpoint, Idaho in 1960, and shortly thereafter, Bob joined the Northern Forest Fire Laboratory in Missoula. From 1960 to 1977, he conducted pioneering research on wild land fuels and fire behavior.

Bob’s sons, Dale and Brian, were born in 1962 and 1964. As a family, they enjoyed camping, hiking,  bicycling, skiing, and outdoor adventures throughout the West. Bob passed his passion for hunting and for fishing on to his sons, who also developed a lifelong pursuit of falconry. He took the family on numerous fishing expeditions to Alaska, and Bob introduced Linda to backpacking and fieldwork in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness, fostering her interest in outdoor careers.

In 1970, Bob launched a groundbreaking project to allow lightning-caused fires to play a natural role in wilderness ecosystems. His research in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness led to the first U.S. Forest Service Wilderness Fire Management Plan, which was approved in 1972.

In 1977, Bob shifted from research to fire management at Lolo National Forest, where he led the implementation of prescribed burning, fire management policies, and forest planning. In the early 1980s, he became Fire Use Specialist for the Northern Region, assisting national forests in the development of fuel management programs and expanding the wilderness fire program.

From 1986 to 1991, Bob served as Program Manager for the Forest Service’s Disaster Assistance Support Program in Washington, D.C., providing international assistance in disaster preparedness, fire management, and emergency relief. His work took him to Spain, Senegal, Switzerland, and Costa Rica.

Bob returned to Montana as Technology Transfer Specialist at the Intermountain Forest Fire Laboratory in 1991, where he worked until retiring in 1994. In this role, he shared the latest fire research with agencies worldwide, including conducting workshops and field training in Brazil.

Though retired, Bob continued to consult on fire management and firefighter safety internationally. He often spoke of his life’s purpose: striving for “harmony between people and ecosystems.”

Bob was beloved by his colleagues in the fire management community; he received numerous awards for his work. His contributions to fire science and management have left a lasting legacy.

His family and friends will miss his enthusiasm for life and generous spirit. He is survived by his sons Dale and Brian, daughter Linda (Tony Caprio), grandson Dillon, nephews André, Thomas, and Teddy Mutch, sister-in-law Kathy Mutch, and his loyal black lab, Cassie. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Sally, brother John, and niece Viera.

A memorial service for Bob and Sally Mutch is tentatively planned for Spring 2025 in Missoula, Montana. Details will be shared closer to the date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wildland Firefighter Foundation (wffoundation.org), which supports injured firefighters and the families of those killed in the line of duty.

Online condolences may be written at www.championfh.com. Champion Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements.