Tag Archives: Seeley Lake

New fire northwest of Seeley Lake; region’s fire season gets busier

Still not a lot of heavy wildfire action in this corner of Montana, but the region overall is getting busy . . .

A lightning-caused fire in the Marshall Creek drainage northwest of Seeley Lake was the biggest new start in western Montana, even as much larger challenges confronted firefighters in Idaho and eastern Montana.

A crew of Montana State Prison inmates was dispatched to the West Marshall Creek fire on Sunday, which had burned about 30 acres by Monday morning, according to Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation spokeswoman Paula Short. The agency also sent three helicopters, one large air tanker and a single-engine air tanker to slow its spread.

Continue reading . . .

Searching for the biggest Western larch

Andrew Larson, an assistant professor of ecology at the University of Montana, is on the hunt for the biggest Western larch in the U.S. . . .

The largest Western larch in the land is a giant, standing 153 feet over the placid waters of Seeley Lake in a quiet, shady grove.

Visiting the tree is akin to a quest and standing in its presence, where the air is fresh and light, brings one a sense of serenity…

As large and distinguished as the old larch is, Larson thinks there’s a bigger tree awaiting discovery in northwest Montana’s vast tracts of wild and remote lands.

Continue reading . . .