Category Archives: News

Already? 1000-acre Elk Hill Fire burning in the Bob

Fire Information and Status, News, , ,
Elk Hill Fire, Lewis and Clarke NF, April 9, 2016 - USFS photo
Elk Hill Fire, Lewis and Clarke NF, April 9, 2016 – USFS photo

Personnel from the Lewis and Clarke National forest are busy suppressing the Elk Hill Fire, a 1000-acre blaze burning in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Thirty people are tied up with the effort so far, as well as three helicopters. (Update: There are no significant changes as of April 11 at 10am.)

Here are the high points from the current InciWeb report . . .

The Elk Hill fire appears to have been started by a warming or campfire, but is under investigation.

Currently the fire is actively burning near lower North Fork Sun River, southeast of the Forest Service cabin on Cabin Creek, in the Bob Marshall Wilderness on the Rocky Mountain Ranger District. The Elk Hill Fire is burning in grass, and in downfall within the perimeter of a wildfire from 2005, moving into stands of mature Douglas fir. Although the weather is warm, this fire is primarily fuels-driven with potential for continued rapid spread.

The most active part of the fire is along Circle Creek in/around the 2005 fire area, because of the dead and down fuels within that area.

Fire personnel are continuing suppression efforts where it is safe to do so; and focus structure protection of the Forest Service Cabin Creek cabin. Three helicopters–one Type 1 and two Type-2–are assisting the on-the-ground efforts, as needed.

UPDATED TRAILS CLOSURES:

–North Fork Sun River Trail #201 from jct. w/#268 north to jct. w/#231.1 (northwest of Cabin Creek Cabin).

–Circle Creek Trail #231 from jct. w/#201 north to #231.1 and southeast to jct. w/#208.

–Cabin Creek Admin. Connector #231.1 closed in it’s entirety.

–Circle Creek Connector #268.1 closed in it’s entirety.

Further reading:

InciWeb report on the Elk Hill Fire
Elk Hill fire active near Cabin Creek cabin (Helena Independent Record; written prior to the trail closures)

Feds asking for public comments on grizzly delisting in Yellowstone region

Environmental Issues, News,
Grizzly bear sow with three cubs - NPS photo
Grizzly bear sow with three cubs – NPS photo

Here’s some useful information about Yellowstone grizzly bear delisting from an announcement passed along by John Frederick. Note the link at the end to a federal site for submitting written comments . . .

Last month the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issued a proposed rule that would remove Endangered Species Act protections for grizzly bears in the Yellowstone region. Next week, the USFWS will be hosting a public meeting to explain the delisting rule and “Conservation Strategy” (how bears will be managed post-delisting). They will accept written and oral public comments at the meeting:

Tuesday, April 12, 5:00-8:00pm—Bozeman, MT—Holiday Inn, 5 E. Baxter Ln. There will also be an informational open house from 2-4pm before the public comment begins. (This meeting, and one the night before in Cody, WY are the only currently scheduled USFWS public meetings on Yellowstone grizzly bear delisting.)

While the recovery of this grizzly bear population has been an amazing Endangered Species Act success story, we need to make sure it continues if grizzly bears are delisted! Your comments and support for grizzly bear conservation is crucial to this effort.

Can’t make the meeting? Submit your written comment by May 10.

Judge prods feds on wolverine protection

Environmental Issues, News, ,
Wolverine in snow - Steve Kroschel
Wolverine in snow – Steve Kroschel

Better late than never: The fight over wolverine protection made it into the New York Times . . .

Because it depends on heavy spring snowpack to excavate dens and safely raise its young near the top of mountain peaks high in the northern Rockies, the wolverine is on the front lines of battles over the effects of climate change.

There is less snow in the Rockies these days, and researchers forecast that in the coming decades, the wolverines in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming may disappear with the snowpack. Only about 300 of the animals are in the lower 48 states. In 2014, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service refused to list the animal for endangered species protection, calling the science inconclusive.

The debate over protection for the reclusive animal, the largest in the weasel family, has been going on for about 20 years, and it was revived this week by a federal court ruling here in Montana.

Read more . . .

Grizzlies up and moving early on the Rocky Mountain Front

Environmental Issues, News, ,
Grizzly Bear - Thomas Lefebvre, via Unsplash
Grizzly Bear – Thomas Lefebvre, via Unsplash

Grizzly bears are making an early start on the east side this year . . .

Grizzly bears on the Rocky Mountain Front are emerging from their dens this year earlier than ever after the mild winter, Montana wildlife officials said.

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks officials flew over the area on Friday to check on nine bears that had been fitted with radio collars, the Great Falls Tribune reported. Eight were already gone, and several female bears had already traveled far down river drainages east of the mountains. One bear’s radio signal was picked up east of U.S. Highway 89 on the open plains near the Marias River.

“This is by far the earliest we’ve had as many transmitted grizzly bears outside of their dens,” FWP grizzly bear management specialist Mike Madel said.

Read more . . .

Lawsuit challenges Montanore Mine approval

Environmental Issues, News, , ,
Southern Cabinet Mountains, as seen from Swede Mountain, near Libby
Southern Cabinet Mountains, as seen from Swede Mountain, near Libby

The bell sounds for the next round of the fight over the Montanore Mine . . .

Environmentalists are challenging U.S. Forest Service approval of a $500 million copper and silver mine in northwest Montana, citing concerns from state officials that it could drain surrounding waterways and potentially harm a species of trout protected under federal law.

The lawsuit filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Missoula challenges the Montanore Mine south of Libby near the Idaho border. Sponsor Mines Management Inc. of Spokane, Washington, has been seeking a mining permit since 2004.

But three groups said in Friday’s lawsuit that the government’s authorization for Montanore ignored studies of the mine’s environmental effects. Those government-sponsored studies concluded the mine potentially could drain groundwater supplies that feed into creeks and a river in the pristine area, an effect that could linger for centuries.

Read more . . .

Judge tells feds to get moving on wolverine protection

Environmental Issues, News, ,
Wolverine (Gulo gulo, female, born 1996) at the Helsinki Zoo
Wolverine (Gulo gulo)

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service got dragged into court over their wolverine policy and got chewed out by the judge . . .

The Obama administration brushed over the threat that climate change poses to the snow-loving wolverine when it denied protections for the elusive predator also known as the “mountain devil,” a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen ordered wildlife officials to act as quickly as possible to protect the species as it becomes vulnerable to a warming planet. Wolverines need deep mountain snows to den, and scientists warn that such habitat will shrink as the planet heats up.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rejected the views of many of its own scientists in 2014 when it said the effects of climate change on wolverines remained ambiguous.

Read more . . .

Montana ready to address WNS in bats if necessary

Environmental Issues, News, , ,
Little brown bat affected by White nose syndrome - Marvin Moriarty-USFWS
Little brown bat affected by White nose syndrome – Marvin Moriarty-USFWS

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks responds to the first reported occurrence of white-nose syndrome (WNS) in the Western U.S. . . .

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, partner agencies and other organizations are prepared for white-nose syndrome (WNS), should it turn up in Montana’s bat population.

Washington state released news last week that WNS was detected recently in a bat discovered near North Bend, Washington. This marks the western most discovery of the disease, which has killed more than 6 million bats in eastern states since 2006. The disease was confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey’s National Wildlife Health Center. WNS is not known to pose a threat to humans, pets, livestock or other wildlife.

WNS is a fungus that can be spread by bats, animals or humans carrying spores on their bodies, or in the case of humans, clothing and gear. In particular, recreational cavers traveling from one cave to another can transport the fungus on their boots, ropes or clothing.

However, an important partnership has developed between Montana agencies and the caving community decreasing the odds of humans spreading the disease here. In particular, the Northern Rocky Mountain Grotto has been working to educate their members and other cavers on the risks of spreading this disease and the importance of “clean caving.” Clean caving simply means adequately disinfecting gear between cave visits.

Continue reading Montana ready to address WNS in bats if necessary →

‘Plants of Inland and Coastal Wet Belts’ presentation on April 20, 7pm

Environmental Issues, News, Science,

April 20, 2016 - Plants of Inland and Coastal Wet Belts

The Flathead Chapter of the Montana Native Plant Society presents a talk by Rachel Potter on ‘Plants of Inland and Coastal Wet Belts’ on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 pm in the North Valley Community Building 235 Nucleus Ave, Columbia Falls . . .

Rachel Potter, founder of Glacier National Park’s Native Plant Nursery and Revegetation Program, will share pictures and stories from kayak and canoe trips to British Columbia’s Bowron Lakes Provincial Park and southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. Her program will be part travelogue and part plants.

Rachel’s program will begin promptly at 7:00 pm. Prior to her program, a general board meeting will take place, starting at 5:30. All are welcome to this general meeting. Both will take place at North Valley Community Building (Teakettle Hall) – look for the North Valley Physical Therapy sign, 235 Nucleus Ave, Columbia Falls.

Group says invasive species control can’t be done on the cheap

Environmental Issues, News,
Spotted Knapweed along Trail 3 in Flathead NF, Sep 13, 2014 - William K. Walker
Spotted Knapweed along Trail 3 in Flathead NF, Sep 13, 2014 – William K. Walker

No big surprise, but it needed saying: the Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council points out that effective invasive species control costs money . . .

An assessment of invasive species management by the Montana Invasive Species Advisory Council said a lack of money is one of the biggest obstacles to protecting Montana’s environment from noxious weeds and other unwanted biological invaders.

The council was created by a Gov. Steve Bullock in 2014. A Governor’s Summit on Invasive species will be held April 12 and 13 in Helena, followed by development of a statewide action plan by the end of the year.

“Montana’s vast outdoor recreation and wide-open spaces are an important part of what makes Montana great and they play a crucial role in our growing economy,” Bullock said in a statement. “The threat of invasive species to our land, water, native species, and economy is real, and I will always fight to protect them.”

Read more . . .