The Tally Lake Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct multiple prescribed fire projects when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places in the valley depending on the location of the burns and weather conditions.
The prescribed fire projects are located and designed to be controlled to reduce the potential for adverse effects, or to escape as a wildland fire. These projects will be in compliance with state air quality standards and coordinated with Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke to our neighbors, cooperators and surrounding communities.
The Forest Services uses prescribed burns throughout the forest to meet various management objectives, including returning fire to the ecosystem, maintaining or restoring plant communities, reducing or removing exotic plants, maintaining or improving wildlife habitat, reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and reducing fire suppression costs.
The upcoming project areas include:
Good Creek Area: Mechanical piles and one six-acre broadcast burn will be treated in the fall 2012 to reduce hazardous fuel accumulation and maintain the presence of fire in the ecosystem. Smoke may be visible from various locations in the Flathead Valley and Star Meadow area.
Logan Creek Area: Mechanical piles will be treated in the fall 2012 to reduce hazardous fuel accumulation and maintain the presence of fire in the ecosystem. Smoke may be visible from various locations in the Flathead Valley and Star Meadow area.
Griffin Creek Area: Hand piles will be treated in fall 2012 to reduce hazardous fuel accumulation and maintain the presence of fire in the ecosystem. Smoke may be visible from various locations in the Flathead Valley and Marion.
Bootjack Lake Area/Farm to Market Rd. Area/Ashley Lake: Burning may start as soon as weather conditions are right and continue through November. These prescribed burns consist of hand piles and machine piles that were created during a fuels reduction project. Burning will be weather dependent and ignition will only occur on days with a good smoke dispersion forecast.
For additional information about these projects contact the District Fire Management Officer, Jim Reuter at 758-3522.