The Hungry Horse Ranger District of the Flathead National Forest is requesting comments on the proposed Heinrude Fuels Reduction Project.
Mechanical treatments would be used on approximately 70 acres to reduce tree densities and remove downed wood and slash, primarily focused near the Heinrude cabin sites on NFS lands along the west-side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir, according to the Forest Service. Hand thinning would be used to reduce sapling-sized tree densities on approximately 550 acres. All treatment acres are within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and within an area that has been identified as high priority for treatment due to the concentration of private homes on National Forest System (NFS) lands, according to the Forest Service.
Forest officials say the purpose for this project is to lower the risk of severe and intense wildfire, should a fire occur in the future; improve the ability to initial attack and control fires; protect human life by providing a safer environment for firefighters and the public should a fire occur; and protect identified private property and natural resource values in the event of a future wildfire.
District Ranger Rob Davies encourages public comments on the proposed project. Provide comments during the 30-day scoping/comment period, which ends Monday, May 20. Comments should be sent to the Hungry Horse Ranger District, P.O. Box 190340, (10 Hungry Horse Drive), Hungry Horse, MT 59919. Depending on the level of interest, a public fieldtrip may be scheduled to the project area this summer.
For more information about the project contact Amanda Smiley at 406-387-3837 or visit here for more information.