Prescribed burns set for Tally Lake District

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. The projects will follow Montana air quality standards and are coordinated with Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke to neighbors, cooperators, and surrounding communities.

Tally Lake Ranger District:

Whitefish Municipal Watershed

Several of the five units available ranging in size from 36-268 acres will prescribe burn natural fuels to reduce the likelihood of crown fire, reduce stand density, improve mule deer and elk habitat, and prepare areas for white bark pine planting. Units will be selected based on conditions at the time of ignition. Aerial ignition will use a helicopter. The burn will be highly visible from Whitefish and the greater Flathead Valley. More information will be forthcoming as the window of opportunity approaches. The forest also plans 202 acres of activity piles to be burned in the Haskill Basin area this fall.

Martin-Radnor Unit 64

There is 17-acre activity fuels hand ignited understory burn in the Wildland Urban Interface west of Olney with retention of mature Larch and natural regeneration planned. The forest expects 112 acres of activity hand and machine piles are also to be burned this fall.

Griffin

This includes 200-485 acres of natural fuels planned to be burned this fall with a combination of hand and aerial ignition to reduce natural fuels and likelihood of crown fire, reduce stand density, improve mule deer habitat and protect Ashely Mountain communications site. 398 acres of activity piles are also planned to be burned in the Griffin Creek drainage this fall.

Taylor Hellroaring

Includes 80 acres of natural fuels planned to be burned this fall with a combination of hand and aerial ignition to reduce natural fuels and likelihood of crown fire, reduce stand density, improve mule deer habitat and prepare areas for white bark pine planting. The burn will be highly visible from Whitefish and the greater Flathead Valley. More information will be forthcoming as the window of opportunity approaches.

Holbrook

Includes 140 acres of hand piles planned to be burned this fall along Big Mountain Road north of Whitefish and will be visible from Whitefish and the greater Flathead Valley.

For more information, contact the Tally Lake Ranger District at 406-758-5204.