Forest plans prescribed burn near resort

Plumes of smoke rising near Whitefish Mountain Resort could be highly visible this fall as the Flathead National Forest conducts prescribed fire projects in the area.

If weather conditions permit, the Tally Lake Ranger District is planning prescribed fires that would include burning in several units as part of the Whitefish Municipal Watershed prescribed burn project. The forest plans to issue advisories prior to the start of burning, but hopes to conduct the work sometime in roughly the next month.

Justin Kaber, assistant fire management officer on the Tally Lake Ranger District, said the goal for this fall is to complete prescribed burning on up to 400 acres, and planning for the work has been ongoing for several years.

“Once we start burning it is going to be extremely visible to the whole Flathead Valley,” he said. “There is going to be a large amount of smoke coming off the mountain right adjacent to the ski area.”

Officials plan to release more updated information as it becomes available as to more specifically when burns will likely occur.

The goal of the project approved in 2017 is to reduce the likelihood of a crown fire, reduce stand density, improve mule deer and elk habitat and prepare areas for planting of whitebark pine. In addition, another goal of the project is to protect the City of Whitefish’s source for drinking water located in Haskill Basin.

“We want to try to reduce the severity of future wildfires in the area,” Kaber said. “If we get a big fire in this landscape in late August it would be really hard to control, and it’s really steep ground and heavily vegetated. We want to get fire back on the landscape under our conditions. We’re at pretty low fire danger and we’ve received moisture — so to get fire on our terms this is a really good year to do this.”

The forest and Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation are planning this fall several prescribed fire projects in the area, as weather, fuel conditions, and air quality conditions allow. Fire officials last week held a media briefing in Kalispell to provide information about the prescribed fire projects planned.

Andy Huntsberger, assistant fire management officer for the Hungry Horse and Glacier View ranger districts, said a lot of time and effort goes into the environmental review for prescribed burn projects and a specific prescribed fire burn plan sets out the objectives the forest is trying to meet in removing or adjusting vegetations, as well as air quality standards and weather conditions that must exist for burns to take place. The projects are located and designed to be controlled to reduce the potential for adverse effects, or to escape as a wildland fire, the forest notes.

“With any kind of burning there is a lot of thought that goes into it,” he said. “We look at the weather to ensure we’re getting the right outcome, so we don’t have to return, and so that we can minimize the smoke created.”

The window for most burn projects occurs from mid-September to roughly mid-October, though some can occur later. This fall also appears to be optimal since resources aren’t diverted to wildland fires as in previous recent summers, officials note.

Huntsberger noted that above average levels of prescription in the beginning of September have created a good opportunity to carry out planned prescribed burns in the forest, though a period of dry weather will still be needed to allow for the burns to occur.

According to the National Weather Service in Missoula, during the first nine days of September more than 1.6 inches of rain fell in Kalispell. The total monthly average is 1.38 inches.

On the Whitefish Municipal Watershed project, aerial ignition is planned using a helicopter for work this fall to create a landscape prescribed fire, which can produce a large amount of smoke visible from a distance and appear to be a wildfire.

The forest service, working with the DNRC, is aiming to notify folks of the work to minimize phone calls regarding the project and others planned on state and federal forestlands around the area. Information boards about the Whitefish Municipal Watershed project are also planned to be located at the Flathead Forest office in Kalispell, Depot Park in Whitefish and the Village at the resort.

A trail closure on a section of the Danny On trail will be required at Flower Point loop within the resort boundary while work is being completed. A number of snags in the area around the trail would pose a safety hazard to those using the trail while burns are occurring, Kaber notes.

Treatment is planned for the Municipal Watershed project over the next up to 15 years and is set to include a total of 1,114 acres of forestland with several types of treatment. About 860 acres within the project area is planned for fuel treatments, by either prescribed burning of 756 acres or understory removal on 103 acres.

“You’re going to be seeing this project for the foreseeable future,” Kaber said, noting that the forest plans to continue work every year as conditions allow to complete the project.

Also on the Tally Lake Ranger District, a 17-acre activity fuels hand ignited understory burn is planned in the Wildland Urban Interface west of Olney with the goal for retention of mature larch and natural regeneration.

The DNRC is planning work on the Stillwater State Forest this fall that will likely be seen from Olney and Whitefish. The Stillwater plans burning on 100 acres above Whitefish Lake as a result of logging activity, and on Stryker Ridge. About 200 acres of burns will also occur in areas around the Stillwater.

On the Flathead, forestwide pile burning is planned in several locations.

Other projects in the greater Flathead Valley are planned for fuels reduction, vegetation regeneration, wildlife habitat improvements and other goals.

For more information, contact the appropriate ranger station, Hungry Horse/Glacier View Ranger District at 406-387-3800; Tally Lake Ranger District at 406-758-5204; Swan Lake Ranger District at 406-837-7500; and Spotted Bear Ranger District at 406-758-5376.

General forest information can be found online at http://www.fs.usda.gov/flathead.

Swan Lake Ranger District

The Lindy Ridge Prescribed Burn is planned to treat 1,104 acres in and adjacent to the Mission Mountains Wilderness, west of Lindbergh Lake along Lindy Ridge.

The Huey Timber Sale includes broadcast burning in timber harvest units located within the Stoner Creek drainage near Blacktail Mountain west of Lakeside.

The Louie Timber Sale includes broadcast burning in timber harvest units located within the Truman Creek drainage near Blacktail Mountain south of Kila, and west of Lakeside.

The Swan Valley Bottom Maintenance Burning includes maintenance broadcast burning in previously treated timber harvest units located within the Swan Valley including the Lion Creek Drainage, and Meadow Creek area.

Hungry Horse District

The Red Whale Fuels Reduction is a 1,114-acre project is planned in the Red Whale Creek Drainage in the North Fork of the Flathead about 4 miles northwest of Polebridge. Depending on weather this burn is planned for mid to late September to early October. Approximately 750 acres will be targeted this fall in Moose creek and Moran creek.

The Belton Rx is a prescribed fire project targeting 916 acres. The units are located west of, and adjacent to, the northernmost portion of the Great Bear Wilderness near West Glacier.

The Middle Fork Fuels Rx is a burn targeting about 622 acres

The Coram Pasture Rx is a proposal to burn 20 acres of the Coram pasture administrative site between Martin City and Coram to reduce encroachment of woody vegetation and enhance forage for the livestock.

Spotted Bear Ranger District

Several units total 572 acres around the Spotted Bear Ranger Station are being prescribed burned to reduce fuel loading, maintain and increase winter range forage and reintroduce fire into the ecosystem.