Montana Governor Greg Gianforte has requested President Donald Trump issue an emergency declaration to respond to damage caused by high winds on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation.

“On December 17, 2025, a historic, long-duration high-wind event and associated blizzard caused widespread destruction across Montana,” Gianforte wrote in a letter.

He said the storm brought gusts from 60 to 90 mph and more than 100 mph in the mountains.

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“Most critically, the storm caused structural failure of the roof of the water holding tank supplying the Fort Belknap Indian Community,” Gianforte wrote.

The request Wednesday for emergency federal assistance is the second this month following flooding in northwest Montana, a blizzard in northeast Montana and high winds across the state.

Friday, the governor announced that President Trump had approved the request for help from FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, for flooding in Lincoln and Sanders counties and the Blackfeet Nation.

In the news release Wednesday, Gianforte said damage from the recent storm exposed Fort Belknap’s primary water source to potential contaminants, necessitating a boil order for approximately 700 homes, a detention facility, a hospital, restaurants, and tribal offices.

In the letter, Gianforte said the unique demographic and geographic challenges make the impact on the Fort Belknap Indian Community especially dire.

“Many households in the community are multi-generational, housing a high concentration of vulnerable populations, including children and the elderly, who are at increased risk during a water crisis,” the letter said.

He said federal support is needed due to the severity and complexity of the emergency, and it would go toward repairing the water tank, securing reliable and safe drinking water, and alleviating the financial burden of the “unanticipated second disaster in two weeks.”

An estimate of the damages statewide related to recent disasters was not immediately available Wednesday from the Governor’s Office.

However, Trump’s approval of the earlier emergency declaration allows up to $5 million in federal funds to help with response measures, according to the Governor’s Office.

Gianforte said the recent wind and snow affected the entire state, with 43 of 56 counties recording gusts of 70 mph or greater, and in northeast Montana, a blizzard that lasted up to five hours.

“Federal support is essential to ensure the health and safety of the affected population,” Gianforte wrote.