Author: Bill Walker

Fire restrictions updated for NW Montana; Flathead County at Stage I Saturday

Here we go again. Note that the fire danger in Flathead County is rated at Very High. From the official press release . . .

Northern Rockies Coordination Group
Northwest Montana Area
For Immediate Release: July 15, 2021
Fire Restrictions Updated for NW Montana

Kalispell, MT, July 15, 2021 — Interagency fire managers agreed to implement Stage I Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Saturday, July 17th, 2021 across the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Kalispell, Stillwater, and Swan Units, and Flathead County.

Interagency fire managers are implementing Stage II Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Saturday, July 17th, 2021 across the Kootenai National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Libby Unit, Sanders and Lake County lands.

Interagency fire managers are implementing Stage II Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:00am Friday, July 16th, 2021 across Lincoln County lands.

Continue reading Fire restrictions updated for NW Montana; Flathead County at Stage I Saturday

Fire and Smoke Map

Fire & Smoke Map snippetWith fire season fast approaching, this is a nice find. This very handy map showing fires, air quality and smoke plumes is part of the U.S. EPA’s “AirNow” air quality website. Use this link for a map centered on Columbia Falls, MT: https://fire.airnow.gov/?lat=48.3637&lng=-114.1893&zoom=7#. Or you can find it on the NFPA’s “Wildfire Information” page.

‘Wildfire Information’ page updated

Granite Fire - evening of Aug 26, 2015
Granite Fire – evening of Aug 26, 2015

With fire season looming, the NFPA’s Wildfire Information page has been subjected to its annual housecleaning. As usual, there was some “link rot.” A few new resources were added and one or two eliminated that simply no longer existed.

Get those issues in! Interlocal meeting July 14, 1:00pm, at Sondreson Hall

Bob Dunkley explains Park plans for the Polebridge Ranger Station, post Red Bench Fire, at the 1989 Interlocal at Sondreson Hall.
Bob Dunkley explains Park plans for the Polebridge Ranger Station, post Red Bench Fire, at the 1989 Interlocal at Sondreson Hall.

Hi, folks.

The Summer 2021 Interlocal  Agreement Meeting is at 1:00pm, on Wednesday, July 14 at Sondreson Community Hall. This summer’s  Interlocal is hosted by the North Fork Preservation Association (NFPA). It follows the annual Firewise meeting at 9:30am. Lunch is at noon, with the NFPA providing the main course. If you wish, bring a side dish or desert to share.

For those of you who are new to this, Interlocal meetings are held twice each year, winter and summer. These semi-annual get-togethers are intended to encourage open discussion between North Fork landowners and neighbors, and local, state and federal agencies. In other words, it’s a big deal if you have an interest in the North Fork.

As a convenience (it’s not required), I’m serving as a central point of contact for issues that North Fork organizations and individuals would like to see addressed by the various government agencies represented at the meeting. If you’ll send me your issues by the afternoon of Tuesday, June 29, I’ll pass them on to the various organizations in enough time for them to prepare their presentations. (Note: Please do not respond via Facebook. Use my email address, wkwalker@nvdi.com.)

Please feel free to get in touch if you have any questions.

Bill

Spring newsletter and 2021 calendar posted

The 2021 Spring NFLA Newsletter is available on the website “Newsletters” page and the “NFLA Calendar” page has been updated. All new information and/or changes to the calendar, including pandemic-related issues, will be posted to this website and also on bulletin boards in three locations: between the Polebridge Mercantile and the Northern Lights Saloon, at the entrance to Home Ranch Bottoms, and one outside Sondreson Hall.

First Aid/CPR/AED Course May 24

First Aid SignageBob Lee will be giving his well-regarded First Aid/CPR/AED class in the North Fork again this spring. It is an all-day course, starting at 9:00am and wrapping up by 4:00pm. The date is Monday, May 24. The course will be held at Sondreson Hall. Cost is $45/person. Bring your own lunch and drinks.

With a course size limit of 10 people, maintaining appropriate social distancing shouldn’t be a problem.

Continue reading First Aid/CPR/AED Course May 24

Reminder: NFLUAC meets Tuesday, May 11th at 6:00 pm

Sondreson Hall by Gerry StearnsThe North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee (NFLUAC) has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday May 11th at 6:00 pm at Sondreson Hall. This meeting will provide the community with an update on what the committee has learned so far from the outreach received the past month and discuss possible changes to the text amendment. We hope to see you there.
Randy Kenyon
Chair, NFLUAC
AGENDA
NORTH FORK LAND USE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
MEETING TUESDAY May 11th, 2021
SONDRESON HALL
6:00pm
Masks and social distancing remain mandatory
Call to Order
Roll Call
Minutes of Previous Meeting
1. Update on results of community outreach from this past month.
2. Discussion regarding possible changes to the text amendment.
3. Public comment
Adjournment
Accommodations will be made for those with special needs

Forest Service posts Special Use permit details; deadline for comments is May 12

Heads up! It is Forest Service special use permit time again. Some of you may recall the kerfuffle over this last year, particularly when it came to guided ATV tours. There are a few more requests this year. There is a May 12 deadline for responses.

View/download the official press release.

Details on the various projects and information on how to submit concerns can be found at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/flathead/passes-permits/event-commercial/?cid=fseprd903970&width=full

Here is an extract from a very useful note sent by Rob Davies, Hungry Horse/Glacier View District Ranger, that provides more focus on the projects affecting the North Fork . . .
 Continue reading Forest Service posts Special Use permit details; deadline for comments is May 12

Flathead National Forest Spring Prescribed Fire Projects

FNF Spring 2021 Prescribed BurnsSpring 2021 prescribed burn activity in the North Fork is limited to areas close to Columbia Falls, Coram and Martin City, although the rest of the Flathead National Forest is seeing considerably more activity.

From the press release…

Kalispell, MT, March 18, 2021- The Flathead National Forest is planning to conduct spring 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.  These projects will follow Montana air quality standards and coordinated with Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke to our neighbors, cooperators, and surrounding communities.  The project areas include:

Pile burning: On the attached map major locations of concentrated piles are identified.  These may include both landing and hand piles.  There are also scattered piles not identified on the map which may also be burned. Continue reading Flathead National Forest Spring Prescribed Fire Projects