As you know, due to time restraints the Flathead County Commissioners continued our hearing on the text cleanup for our local zoning guidelines. It is now scheduled for November 29th at 9:00am on the 3rd floor of the old courthouse. We are hoping for a successful resolution, so your continued support remains essential. If you have not contacted the commissioners please take a few minutes to do so. Showing up at the hearing is likewise important. The commissioners contact information: babell@flathead.mt.gov, pholmquist@flathead.mt.gov, rbrodehl@flathead.mt.gov.
We extend our gratitude for your ongoing consideration of this issue so near and dear to us all.
Even if you have written and sent in comments earlier in the process, we need your letters of support one more time to get us across the finish line.
Do you have a personal story about how you’ve been, or in the future may be, negatively affected if the zoning is NOT updated?
Are you concerned because our zoning is decades out of date and doesn’t meet current growth needs?
Are you concerned because our original zoning is sometimes confusing or ambiguous and leads to conflict within the community?
Please send a letter of support to the County Commissioners by October 26, 2022. Their email addresses are: babell@flathead.mt.gov, pholmquist@flathead.mt.gov and rbrodehl@flathead.mt.gov. The physical address is: 800 S. Main, Kalispell MT 59901. If you’re not up to letter writing, you can submit a comment here: cocontactus@flathead.mt.gov. The County Commissioner’s hearing is set for November 1, 2022 at 9:00am, third floor of the courthouse. The presence of landowners would bolster our cause.
In order to maintain membership in Firewise USA, North Fork landowners must make an annual investment in wildfire risk reduction efforts. We’re required to calculate the number of hours spent in Firewise-qualifying activities, and the expenses associated with those activities.
A summary of some of Firewise-qualifying activities and expenses follows:
Collaboration and consultation time with forestry and fire experts
Organizing, planning, coordinating, implementing wildfire-related outreach events and educational presentations
Program administration time
Travel time to risk reduction meetings, trainings, and workshops
Attendance at wildfire-related education/informational meetings and events and at evacuation/preparedness trainings
Firewise improvements and maintenance on homes and outbuildings
Improvements and maintenance within the home ignition zone — for example, thinning or limbing up trees, reducing ladder fuels, dealing with slash and other debris, moving firewood piles
Vegetation removal; community clean-up
Committee members attendance and participation at Firewise committee meetings
Residents’ attendance and participation at wildfire education/outreach events
Writing wildfire educational articles
Qualifying expenses include equipment and tool purchases; mileage at the current IRS rate for attendance at wildfire-related meetings and trainings; purchases of food for meetings/trainings; contractor and labor expenses to perform risk reduction work; and the value of volunteer labor participating in risk reduction projects.
The Fire Mitigation Committee asks North Fork landowners to add up the number of hours they have spent in qualifying activities as well as the expenses they have incurred from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2022. Please email your total hours and expenses to Molly Shepherd, mollshep@gmail.com. Your hours and expenses will be included in applying for renewal of the North Fork’s membership in Firewise USA.
A message from the North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee . . .
SUBJECT: ONE LAST ZONING PUSH!
It’s time for North Fork Landowners to get our revised zoning Text Amendment across the finish line with the County Commissioners! The NFLUAC needs your help!
WHY IT MATTERS:
Many of you have previously written extremely helpful letters of support for the Text Amendment. We understand there is “planning fatigue”, but we need you to rally yourselves one last time and submit letters of support! Personalized letters pack the biggest punch, especially if they say WHY this matters to you:
Do you have a personal story about how you’ve been, or in the future may be, negatively affected if the zoning is NOT updated?
Are you concerned because our zoning is decades out of date and doesn’t meet current growth needs?
Are you concerned because our original zoning is sometimes confusing or ambiguous and leads to conflict within the community?
Please send a letter of support to the County Commissioners before the November 1, 2022 hearing, the earlier the better to ensure it is received and read. Their email addresses are: babell@flathead.mt.gov; pholmquist@flathead.mt.gov and rbrodehl@flathead.mt.gov. The physical address is: 800 S. Main, Kalispell MT 59901. If you’re not up to letter writing, you can submit a comment here: cocontactus@flathead.mt.gov. The County Commissioner’s hearing is set for November 1, 2022 at 9:00am, third floor of the courthouse.
WANT MORE INFORMATION?
A brief Summary of the Text Amendment, the Text Amendment itself and our letter to the Commissioners are linked below. Italicized portions of the Text Amendment are those which are unchanged from the existing regulations.
The Flathead National Forest just published information on this fall’s prescribed burns. The only entry of local interest is this one (listed under “Hungry Horse District” for some reason)…
Red Whale Fuels Reduction— Approximately 750 acres will be targeted for prescribed burning this fall in Moose creek and Moran creek. This project location is in the North Fork of the Flathead about 4 miles northwest of Polebridge. Depending on weather this burn is planned for mid to late September to early October. The purpose of this project is to help restore a more historical fire regime to the ecosystem, improve wildlife habitat and reduce hazardous fuels to reduce wildfire risk and aid in potential future fire suppression efforts and improve wildlife habitat.
Of course, any prescribed burn is contingent on weather, fuel conditions, and air quality lining up just right.
Greetings all! The latest Wildland Fire Potential Outlook was released today, and it is as expected. The continued hot and dry weather in early September will give us above normal fire activity in Northwestern Montana:
The good news, of course, is that we did receive a little precipitation in the North Fork – and that was welcome. But, we have two to three weeks of fire season left at least. Days are getting shorter, nighttime temperature and humidity recovery is significantly improving (except in the thermal belts), which really decreases fire activity.
We aren’t out of the woods yet – and we have the potential for some significant fire yet this fall, especially if we remain warm and dry through September into October.
National Park Service Glacier National Park
Incident Commander: M. Lewelling
Fire Information Email: glac_fire_line@nps.gov
Fire Information Recording: 406-206-6099
Fire Information Office: 406-206-5272 (8 am to 6 pm)
Quartz Fire grows two acres; crews patrolling after Thursday’s lightning
Current Situation: The Quartz Fire was mapped at 1698 acres last night, resulting in a two acre increase over the infrared mapping done Tuesday night. Consistent rains over the past few days have significantly reduced fire activity. Scattered heat remains within the fire’s perimeter.
Wet weather over the Quartz Fire resulted in additional lightning to the area. Glacier fire personnel observed many lightning strikes resulting in two fires in the northwest region of the park. The Numa Lookout observed one lightning strike in the late afternoon resulting in a tree torching. A crew accessed the area via helicopter but did not find any active fire yesterday. Firefighters will hike in from Bowman Lake today to patrol the area and will be prepared to respond if any new fires are discovered. Firefighters located at Quartz Lake observed a second lightning strike in the Quartz drainage near the Quartz Fire, but there was no smoke observed after the afternoon rain. Crews will continue to patrol and scout the Quartz area today.
Weather: Winds are expected to increase on Friday ahead of a cold front that will pass over Glacier on Saturday. Winds will be 10-20 mph from the west through the day and 5-15 mph overnight, which may slightly increase fire activity during the warmest part of the day. Smoke may be visible if fire activity increases.
Closures: Glacier National Park has enacted a Closure Order for the areas, campgrounds, and trails within the Quartz Lake drainage from the Continental Divide to the Inside North Fork Road for the protection of park visitors, employees, and natural resources. This includes the Quartz Lake Loop trails starting from just south of Bowman Lake toward Quartz Lake, as well as the Quartz Lake and Lower Quartz Lake Wilderness Campgrounds. A map of the closure is available on InciWeb.
Fire Restrictions: The fire danger rating in Glacier National Park is currently Very High. All park visitors are reminded that campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings or grates and should be kept small. Never leave a fire unattended and drown any campfire with water until cold to the touch before leaving it.
Air Quality: National air quality and smoke conditions can be monitored at https://fire.airnow.gov/. Visibility in different parts of Glacier National Park can vary from hour to hour, depending on fire and wind conditions both locally and throughout the west. Check the park’s webcams at https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm for current views.
Quartz Fire Statistics: Size: Approximately 1698 acres Total Personnel: 35 Start Date: Sunday, August 14, 2022 Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning Location: 25 miles north of West Glacier
This information was received from Ryan Butler, Assistant Fire Management Officer-Operations for the Hungry Horse-Glacier View Ranger District. Note that the Coal Ridge Fire is still about 10 acres . . .
[ Update! All trails in the Coal Ridge Fire vicinity (trails 2, 239 & 4) have reopened. ]
Not much to report on Coal Ridge fire. Yesterday was quiet with no growth and only smoldering was observed. Two cells did go over the fire yesterday and district personnel are hiking up to the fire today to confirm how much rain was received on the fire. As always, please feel free to reach out to me if you have question. Thank You
Coal Ridge Fire (2), August 25, 2022 – USFSCoal Ridge Fire (1), August 25, 2022 – USFS
The Weasel Fire has grown very little over the past couple of days, gaining only 43 acres overall for a total of 5044, most of it in Canada. Today, August 25, Firefighters continue to improve areas along roads, clear debris from the roadway and are providing point protection of resources in the area. Lower temperatures and an increased chance of rain showers is predicted with thunderstorms this today. Fire managers continue to monitor, assess, and coordinate with Canadian efforts.
Quartz Fire before a rainstorm on August 23, 2022 – NPS
From the press release . . .
National Park Service Glacier National Park Incident Commander: M. Lewelling
Fire Information Email: glac_fire_line@nps.gov Fire Information Recording: 406-206-6099 Fire Information Office: 406-206-5272 (8 am to 6 pm)
Weather tempers fire activity on Quartz Fire
Current Situation: Weather has limited fire activity on the Quartz Fire over the past two days, and no measurable growth has been recorded. Additional rain is expected over the fire area today with a chance of lightning in the general area this afternoon.
Fire personnel continue scouting areas near the fire and assessing structures and other park facilities in anticipation of drier weather moving into the fire area and potential increased fire activity in the coming days. Crews continue to be available to respond to any new fire starts that may result from recent lightning.
Quartz Fire after rain showers on August 23, 2022 – NPS
Weather: Showers and thunderstorms are predicted to continue today. On Friday, showers and thunderstorm activity are forecast to become less widespread. A dry cold front is expected to pass over the fire area starting Saturday. The frontal passage is expected to bring lower relative humidity and gusty winds over the weekend and into early next week. These conditions may lead to increased fire activity through the weekend.
Closures: Glacier National Park has enacted a Closure Order for the areas, campgrounds, and trails within the Quartz Lake drainage from the Continental Divide to the Inside North Fork Road for the protection of park visitors, employees, and natural resources. This includes the Quartz Lake Loop trails starting from just south of Bowman Lake toward Quartz Lake, as well as the Quartz Lake and Lower Quartz Lake Wilderness Campgrounds. A map of the closure is available on InciWeb.
Fire Restrictions: The fire danger rating in Glacier National Park is currently Very High. All park visitors are reminded that campfires are allowed only in designated fire rings or grates and should be kept small. Never leave a fire unattended and drown any campfire with water until cold to the touch before leaving it.
Air Quality: National air quality and smoke conditions can be monitored at https://fire.airnow.gov/. Visibility in different parts of Glacier National Park can vary from hour to hour, depending on fire and wind conditions both locally and throughout the west. Check the park’s webcams at https://www.nps.gov/glac/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm for current views.
Quartz Fire Statistics: Size: Approximately 1696 acres Total Personnel: 35 Start Date: Sunday, August 14, 2022 Containment: 0% Cause: Lightning Location: 25 miles north of West Glacier
Quartz Fire Perimeter and Closure Area, August 24, 2022
In order to maintain membership in Firewise USA, North Fork landowners must make an annual investment in wildfire risk reduction efforts. We’re required to calculate the number of hours spent in Firewise-qualifying activities, and the expenses associated with those activities.
