SWAN VALLEY - The Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct fall prescribed fire projects, when weather, fuel conditions and air quality become favorable. Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead Valley depending on the location of the burn units and weather conditions.
Each project follows a Prescribed Fire Burn Plan. 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 follow Montana air quality standards and be coordinated with Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke to our neighbors, cooperators,and surrounding communities.
Across the Flathead National Forest they will be burning landing and hand piles. There are also scattered piles.
The project areas on the Swan Lake Ranger District include:
• Lindy Ridge Prescribed Burn - The objective of the prescribed fire is to treat 1,104 acres in and adjacent to the Mission Mountains Wilderness, west of Lindbergh Lake along Lindy Ridge, to reduce crown fire potential, decrease flame lengths and decrease spotting distance and, therefore, increase the probability that a natural ignition would stay within the wilderness boundary and fire could play its natural role on the landscape. More information will be forthcoming as the window of opportunity approaches.
• Huey Timber Sale - This project includes broadcast burning in timber harvest units located within the Stoner Creek drainage near Blacktail Mountain west of Lakeside, Mont. These treatments will use prescribed fire for fuels reduction, vegetation regeneration and wildlife habitat improvement.
• Louie Timber Sale - This project includes broadcast burning in timber harvest units located within the Truman Creek drainage near Blacktail Mountain south of Kila, Mont. and west of Lakeside, Mont. These treatments will use prescribed fire for fuels reduction, vegetation regeneration and wildlife habitat improvement.
• Swan Valley Bottom Maintenance Burning – This project includes maintenance broadcast burning in previously treated timber harvest units located within the Swan Valley. Specific locations include the Lion Creek Drainage, and Meadow Creek area. These treatments will use prescribed fire for fuels reduction, large ungulate winter range improvement and improve forest health.
For more information about these projects contact the Swan Lake Ranger District, 406-837-7500. There are projects planned on the Hungry Horse/Glacier View, Tally Lake and Spotted Bear Ranger Districts. Contact those Districts for more information.
For precise prescribed fire ignition dates and times, follow the Flathead National Forest Facebook and Twitter profiles.
General forest information can be found online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead.
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