Community Briefs

Mar 03, 20220

Missoula BLM plans controlled burns near Potomac

MISSOULA – The Bureau of Land Management’s Missoula Field Office is preparing to burn landing piles associated with several timber sales and stewardship projects this spring in the Lower Blackfoot River area.

The piles are near Belmont Creek and Highway 200 near Potomac. Smoke may be visible periodically starting in early March. When weather and fuel conditions are favorable, multiple landing piles will be lit and each of these piles will produce smoke for several days.

These landing piles are the result of timber sales and thinning treatments that will create what was historically more natural conditions characterized by large-diameter Douglas fir, ponderosa pine and western larch with intermittent openings of forbs, shrubs and bunch grasses. These piles contain non-merchantable slash generated from vegetation treatments and are a critical part of reducing fuel loading in the area which decreases the potential for a high severity wildfire.

For more information about these controlled burns, contact BLM Fire Management Specialist Michael Albritton at the Missoula Field Office at (406) 329-3914.

Weekly COVID-19 update

As of Feb. 28, there have been 266,579 cases of COVID-19 in Montana. There have been 1,406,584 doses of vaccines administered and 555,745 Montanans fully immunized. There are 1,536 active cases, 11,608 total hospitalizations with 108 active, 261,856 recoveries and 3,187 deaths in Montana due to COVID-19 complications. Missoula County has had 26,976 cases, 320 active cases, 26,455 recovered and 201 COVID-related deaths to date.

Free, drive-up COVID-19 testing, for those with symptoms or those who are a close contact to a positive case, is available at the Seeley Lake Community Foundation Parking Lot Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. For the most up-to-date and accurate information please refer to the Missoula County-City Health Department website http://missoulainfo.com or call 406-258-INFO (4636) Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Seeley Lake Rural Fire District Call Log Feb. 20 – Feb. 26

• 2/21, Drew Creek Loop, Seeley Lake: Public Assist

• 2/21, Highway 200, Seeley Lake: Accident

• 2/22, Moose Lane, Seeley Lake: Fire

• 2/23, Highway 83, Seeley Lake: Accident

• 2/24, Boy Scout Road, Seeley Lake: Medical

• 2/24, Highway 200, Seeley Lake: Medical

Missoula County Sheriff’s Office Call Log Feb. 20 – Feb. 27

• 2/20, 1:37pm, 2X mile marker Highway 200, Greenough: Accident – Injury

• 2/21, 1:31pm, 398XX Ninemile Prairie Road, Greenough: Suspicious Activity

• 2/23, 3:05pm, 404XX Paws Up Road, Greenough: Suspicious Activity

• 2/23, 3:47pm, 2X mile marker Highway 83, the Summit: Accident – Injury