Tag Archives: fuels reduction

Work on national wildland fire strategy winding up

December 9, 2012Environmental Issues, Fire Information and Status, Newscommercial logging, fire suppression, fuels reduction, National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, public comment, wildfiresnfpa

Work on the “National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy” is in its final stages, with the public comment period starting December 15. This will likely have a significant impact on wildfire management and generate quite a bit of controversy. The Missolian has an excellent report, with links to supporting documents. . . .

Wildfires and weather share a common problem: We all talk about them, but what can we do about them?

The federal government hopes to answer the wildfire question with a three-year strategy session that’s wrapping up this month. But there’s no guarantee the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy will save an acre of forest. In fact, it might force the nation to decide how much it’s willing to let burn.

Continue reading . . .

Reference: “National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy” page at forestsandrangelands.gov.

Montana DNRC, North Fork landowners to reduce fire hazard

February 28, 2012Environmental Issues, Fire Information and Status, Newsfire mitigation, fuels reduction, Montana DNRC, North Fork Flatheadnfpa

There’s a nice bit of money in the pot for fuels reduction work this year . . .

A deal between the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and the North Fork Landowners Association will keep the North Fork buzzing with chainsaws this spring in an effort to reduce flammable fuels throughout the area.

According to forester Bill Swope, nearly two-thirds of the area along the North Fork Road, between Camas Creek and the Canadian border, have been scorched by wildfire since 1988. Now much of that is regrowing and he said efforts must be made to thin underbrush, which will be the focus of a $100,000 grant from DNRC.

Continue reading . . .

U.S. Forest Service announces plans to boost timber production, forest health work

February 3, 2012Environmental Issues, Newsfuels reduction, reforestation, timber harvest, U.S. Forest Servicenfpa

From today’s Missoulian . . .

The U.S. Forest Service wants to speed up work on national forests, for both timber production and forest health.

“Collaboration is most effective in getting forests managed in a proper way,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said during a conference call on Thursday. “We want to move beyond the conflicts in the past that slowed progress down. We’re going to look to encourage environmentalists, folks in the forest industry, people who live in forest communities and other stakeholders to work for healthy forests.”

Vilsack pledged the Forest Service would boost its lumber production from 2.4 billion board feet in 2011 to 3 billion board feet by 2014. That would come through a 20 percent increase in forest acres treated over the next three years.

Those treatments also include fuels reduction, reforestation, stream restoration, road decommissioning, culvert work and prescribed fire, as well as timber harvesting.

Continue reading . . .

Temporary road access closures in the North Fork area

June 29, 2011NewsFlathead National Forest, fuels reduction, grizzly bears, road closuresnfpa

From a press release posted to the Flathead National Forest web site . . .

Release Date: Jun 28, 2011

Public access on the Moose Creek Road, Forest Road #210C, and the Moran Creek Road, Forest Road #5241, both located north of Columbia Falls on the Flathead National Forest, will have temporary access changes beginning Friday, July 1.

The Moose Creek Road will be closed approximately 1mile before the Moose Creek Trailhead, Forest Trail #9, and the entire length of the Moran Creek Road will be closed.

The temporary closures are designed to mitigate disturbance to grizzly bears while activities of the Red Whale Fuels Reduction Project are taking place. The roads will open when the fuels reduction work is halted this fall. The temporary road closures will be implemented again next summer when the fuels reduction project continues.

For more information, please contact the Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District at 387-3800.

Fuels reduction at no cost, maybe?

June 25, 2009NewsAmerican Recovery and Reinvestment Act, fuels reductionnfpa

Wth fire season approaching, this article that appeared in today’s Daily Inter Lake might be worth checking out . . .

Timberland owners in Northwest Montana have an “unprecedented” opportunity for free fuels reduction work with federal stimulus funding being offered through the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

The department is accepting grant proposals through July 10 to award about $4.8 million in 13 Western Montana counties through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

“The logging community is very much aware of the grants and is actively seeking project areas,” said Rick Moore, a state service forester.

Landowners, however, are largely unaware of the program, Moore said.

Read the entire article . . .