All posts by nfpa

Scientists sorting out relationship between beetles and other wildfire factors

Fire Information and Status, News,

Researchers are putting a lot of effort into studying the relationship between beetle killed and damaged tress and wildfire intensity . . .

Inside university laboratories and government research facilities across the country, scientists are playing with dozens of variables — mixing and matching and rearranging — to gain a better understanding of what makes wildfire go.

They’re busy building computer models as firefighters toil on steep mountainsides to put out more than a dozen new blazes in what has already become a vicious summer of destruction.

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Western Montana OK so far, but wildfire risk is rising

Fire Information and Status, News

As temperatures rise and humidities drop, fire management officials are starting to get nervous abut fire conditions in Western Montana . . .

Western Montana seems to have misplaced its ticket to the bonfire season that’s torching the eastern half of the state, but fire officials remain braced for trouble over the Fourth of July week.

“We certainly came out of the chute pretty quick this year,” said Paula Short at the state Department of Natural Resources on Friday. “At least we’ve got all our large fires staffed with incident management teams now. With this early start, we’re expecting above-average temperatures and below-average humidity in the southeast and all along the bottom of the state.”

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Glacier Park’s free Going-to-the-Sun shuttles begin service today

News, ,

For those of you wishing to visit Logan Pass and Going-to-the-Sun Road, Glacier Park’s free shjuttle service starts today . . .

With construction under way on Going-to-the Sun Road in Glacier National Park, visitors are encouraged to use the park’s free shuttle service, beginning Sunday.

Visitors traveling the Sun Road can expect 30-minute maximum traffic delays on the west side of the park this summer and no delay on the east side.

The shuttle system provides two-way service between the Apgar Transit Center and St. Mary Visitor Center.

The Apgar center is the shuttle hub on the west side of the park.

The first two shuttles of the day are express trips straight to Logan Pass, without intermediate stops, departing at 7 and 7:30 a.m. Regular shuttle service for all stops on the west side of the park departs the transit center at 8 a.m.

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Sheep-killing griz to be moved to Whitefish Range

Environmental Issues, News, ,

A grizzly bear and her cub that have been involved in a string of sheep killings near Great Falls are being relocated to the Whitefish Range . . .

State and federal wildlife officials have decided to relocate a female grizzly bear that was responsible for the recent deaths of 70 sheep on three ranches north of Great Falls.

Mike Hoggan with USDA Wildlife Services says the bear and her cub will be moved to an area near Frozen Lake in the Whitefish Range near the border of British Columbia, which puts her and her young cub about 160 miles from the ranches.

The bears were tranquilized and captured Sunday near Collins.

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Larry Wilson: Some good advice for June floaters

Commentary, News, ,

Larry talks about the effects of the wet spring weather and discusses safety on the river . . .

It appears that the professional foresters were correct — the lodgepole pine that seemed to be dying only weeks ago are already producing new, green needles. We still need to remember that the foresters also warned that several wet springs in a row could cause the death of some of these young pines.

So far, this spring seems wet to me. In fact, I’m told that Kalispell has had more than two inches of rain above normal for this year to date. I guess that lodgepole pine regeneration would not be hurt by some mortality, but I would prefer to do the thinning myself.

Even though I consider this a wet spring, so far I haven’t seen or heard anything that would indicate we could have any flooding on the North Fork…

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Montana FWP hears from both sides of the wolf hunt debate

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

Here’s the Flathead Beacon’s take on last Wednesday’s Montana FWP “listening session” on the upcoming wolf hunt. It’s a good summary of issues and attitudes . . .

For once the wolf debate played out respectfully. Somewhat.

More than 90 people came together last week to discuss proposed changes to the controversial wolf hunt at a Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks public gathering at Flathead Valley Community College.

The June 13 meeting was the final one in the state before the FWP commission votes to adopt the latest wolf hunt adjustments on July 12. Public comment remains open until June 25.

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Wolf hunt suit dead; no appeal to Supreme Court

Environmental Issues, News, ,

The folks who filed suit opposing the wolf hunt in Montana and Idaho have given up on a Supreme Court appeal . . .

Wildlife advocates say they decided not to appeal to the Supreme Court to keep wolves on the endangered list in Idaho and Montana after their arguments were rejected in lower court rulings.

Congress ordered the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to take gray wolves off the endangered species list last spring. That triggered lawsuits from wildlife groups and environmentalists who argued state-sponsored hunts could again drive wolves towards extinction.

But after two lower courts sided with the government, the plaintiffs let the 90-day deadline for appeal to the Supreme Court pass this week without action.

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Grizzly captured west of Great Falls moved to North Fork

News, ,

The North Fork has a new grizzly, shipped in from east of the divide . . .

A 390-pound grizzly bear captured west of Great Falls near Simms on Wednesday night has been collared, tagged and relocated to the north fork of the Flathead River, near the Canadian border.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Bear Management Specialist Mike Madel said the young male and his sibling are responsible for the deaths of three goats earlier this week.

The bear’s sibling was not captured and will remain on the east side of the divide, because bears tend to get in more trouble when they’re together, Madel said.

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Montana FWP hears wide range of wolf comments

Environmental Issues, News, , ,

The reports are coming in on last Wednesday’s Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks “listening session” concerning plans for this year’s wolf hunt. There’s some interesting stuff here . . .

More than 90 people turned out for a meeting in Kalispell on Wednesday to chime in on proposed hunting and trapping regulations for wolves in Montana.

Those who attended the meeting at Flathead Valley Community College were broken up into 10 work groups to share their views.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials heard a full range of comments — from ending the regulated hunt to having a year-round, wide-open season on wolves.

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