The Swan Lake Ranger District has scheduled multiple prescribed fire projects when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable.
The Flathead National Forest recently sent out a news release reminding residents that smoke would be visible from various places in the Flathead Valley and the Swan Valley depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions.
Hand or machine piles that are located in several locations within the Swan Valley and Blacktail Mountain will be burned as well.
The project areas include:
Blacktail Mountain Area – Up to 310 acres of logging slash from previously logged areas will be burned. In addition, prescribed fire will treat 22 acres of natural fuels on Kerr Mountain.
Haskill Mountain Area – This ecosystem burn project targets 128 acres of mid to upper elevation brush and conifer.
Crane Mountain Area – This work includes three units in the Estes Lake, Hunger Creek and Crane Creek areas. The area is located several miles south of Ferndale, above Woods Bay, totaling 506 acres. A temporary closure on Trail #96 into the Estes Lake Area may occur during burn operations.
Piper Creek Area – The Mission Upland Burning Project will be implemented in phases during the spring and fall. A total of 1,036 acres will be treated in the Piper Creek Drainage. There may be temporary closures in the area including the Piper Creek Trail #119 during different phase of burning.
Meadow Smith – This project includes underburning timber stands located within the Meadow and Smith Creek areas of the Swan Valley.
For more information, contact the Swan Lake Ranger District in Bigfork at 406-837-7500.