Category: Committees

Knapweed pull

On August 15, the North Fork Weed Wranglers will be pulling weeds on some of our neighbors property. We will be focusing on helping those neighbors who are disabled or physically unable to do this work themselves. If you would like some help, please contact Debo Powers at debopowers@gmail.com.

We also welcome anyone who would like to help pull weeds. This is a good way to learn about weed identification and help your neighbors at the same time. Meet at Polebridge at 9:30AM on August 15 and please bring some glove

First float trip of the year

On Tuesday, July 9, three rafts and one kayak transported thirteen North Forkers down the North Fork of the Flathead River from the Border to Wurtz. The weather was perfect for this community float sponsored by the NFLA. Although the river is getting lower every day, this route still had enough water to get the boats through even the most shallow places. The Kintla Rapid near the Wurtz take-out was alive in all its glory producing huge waves that drenched and excited the paddlers.

Wedge Canyon 10 years later

Following is an article about North Fork fire mitigation efforts since the Wedge fire written by Molly Shepherd in anticipation of our Firewise Day workshop. It appeared in place of Larry Wilson’s column in the Hungry Horse News on July 3, 2013.

Ten years ago, on July 18, 2003, a lightning strike in the Whitefish Range ignited the Wedge Canyon Fire.  Before the fire finally died out in the Fall, it had destroyed seven homes and twenty-nine outbuildings between Whale Creek and Trail Creek.  54,400 acres burned.  The costs of fighting the fire and protecting structures exceeded $50 million.

The Wedge Canyon Fire was only one of many large wildfires that have burned across the North Fork Valley.  Indeed, fire has been second only to glaciation in shaping the valley’s landscape.  But because of its cost, destructiveness and duration, Wedge Canyon served as a catalyst for change.  The North Fork Landowners’ Association appointed a diverse committee to explore what might be done to mitigate the effects of future wildfires.

Members of the Fire Mitigation Committee reached several understandings based on the North Fork’s fire history and the probability of future fires.  One was that it’s safer, cheaper and more effective to abate hazards before a fire starts.  Another was that although landowners have neither the ability nor the desire to eliminate fire from the valley, we can and should ameliorate the risks that it poses to our homes and the costs associated with defending them.

Since Wedge Canyon, the committee has obtained three grants from the DNRC to help North Fork landowners reduce hazardous fuels on their properties.  Response to the voluntary cost-sharing program has been remarkable.  The first two grants resulted in more than 100 home wildfire inspections with treatment prescriptions.  Fuels reduction work was completed under about 100 separate cost agreements.  At least 500 acres of private property were treated with grant money.  Probably even more acres were treated without any financial assistance.  Projects funded by the third grant are underway, several of which seek to protect multiple homes and to afford safe ingress and egress for landowners and firefighters.

Private fuel treatments are just part of the story, however.  Only about 14,500 acres–less than three per cent of the total acreage in the North Fork Valley–are in private hands.  Given this reality, the Fire Mitigation Committee decided that landowners needed to collaborate with federal and state agencies to reduce risk.

The agencies were receptive.  Our shared premise has been that public and private efforts should complement one another, with homes being the focal point.  Both the Forest Service and the DNRC have planned and implemented major fuels reduction projects in consultation with the committee and other landowners.  It’s been a model of public and private partnership, leveraging the effectiveness of one another’s efforts.

This month, the Fire Mitigation Committee will sponsor a workshop marking the tenth anniversary of the Wedge Canyon Fire.   We’ll look back to conditions at the time of the Wedge Fire, assess what’s changed in the intervening ten years, and consider the potential effects of the changes on future fires.   The event will serve as our annual Firewise Day.

Presenters include Wally Bennett, who was Type I Incident Commander during the Wedge Fire.  He’ll share his perspectives on the fire and on how subsequent fuels reduction projects might affect future fire behavior and suppression efforts.   In addition, committee member Allen Chrisman will examine North Fork fire history and climate change.  Michael Dardis will discuss fuels projects undertaken by the Forest Service since Wedge; Brian Manning will do the same on behalf of the DNRC.  Bill Swope will review what’s been accomplished with the help of grants and touch upon some ongoing concerns, among them ingress and egress.

The North Fork Firewise Day workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Sondreson Community Hall, immediately preceding the Summer Interlocal Meeting.    We hope to see you then.

Molly Shepherd, Chair
North Fork Landowners’ Association’s
Fire Mitigation Committee

Gardening with Native Plants Workshop was informative

On Monday of this week, Terry Divoky and Andrew Beltz gave a presentation on native plants at the Community Hall. This year, Terry and Andrew asked us for feedback about how our natives have done–what worked, what didn’t work, and answered our questions about natives in general as well as specific plants. They also gave us information on how to collect seed, when to collect, how to dry and store the seed, and when and how to plant. This was followed by a “tour” outside of the many different plants they brought, quite a few of which were in bloom. The plants ranged from mountain ash to currants to native grasses and wildflowers. Plants were available for sale and several folks had pre-ordered plants.

Terry and Andrew pointed out was that the native seed need the snow protection of the winter, so we should plant our seed in the fall, not in the spring. They also gave us a website, nativeplantnetwork.org, which has growing information for individual plant species.

This was a very educational and fun event and hopefully Terry and Andrew will return to talk to us again next year!

Square Dance at the Hall was fun

The first square dance of the summer season was a huge success. Bonny and Lynn Ogle opened the Hall on Saturday night and set everything up for a potluck supper. Following that, Debo Powers showed up to call the square dance after having climbed Stanton Peak. The Haverlandt’s brought some square dance friends from the Flathead Valley and they joined North Fork residents and visitors in an old fashioned square dance. Fun was had by all!

NFLA Business Meeting announcements

Two announcements were made at the NFLA’s June business meeting that will be of interest to North Forkers. First, the Board has decided that it’s time to refinish the floor in the Community Hall and is soliciting donations for this project. Their goal is to raise $5000 by the August 3rd meeting so that the work can be scheduled for September while the weather is still warm. Those who wish to donate are asked to make checks payable to the NFLA and send them to P.O. Box 1603, Columbia Falls, MT 59912 or give them to Bonny Ogle, NFLA Treasurer.

Second, due of some major conflicts, the NFLA Auction has been moved from Saturday, July 20 to Friday, August 2 at 8PM. The Auction Committee is soliciting services and worthy auction items (in other words no junk, please!). Donated items can be dropped off at the Hall on Friday, August 2 from Noon to 5PM. All proceeds from the auction will go toward the floor re-finishing project.

Fire Adapted Communities workshop

Jennifer Mayberry LaManna from FireSafe Montana says… Please join us in Libby Montana for the Fire Adapted Communities Workshop on Friday April 26th and Saturday April 27th, 2013. We are looking forward to some good presentations and discussions on how wildfire impacts a community. If you have any further questions you can email execdir@firesafemt.org or contact Ed Levert at 406-293-2847.

2013 FireWise Day

2013 marks the tenth anniversary of the Wedge Canyon Fire, which destroyed seven homes and twenty-nine outbuildings in the area between Whale Creek and Trail Creek.  54,400 acres burned.  The costs of suppressing the fire and protecting structures exceeded $50 million.

The NFLA’s Fire Mitigation Committee is planning a FireWise Day workshop to recognize the tenth anniversary of the Wedge Canyon Fire as well as the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Red Bench Fire.  The workshop will be held on July 10, 2013 from 9:30 a.m. to noon in Sondreson Hall, immediately preceding the Summer Interlocal meeting.

First, we’ll take a look at North Fork fire history, focusing in particular on the Wedge fire.  Then we’ll examine changes in the North Fork since 2003 that may affect fire behavior.  Finally, we’ll consider the potential impacts of climate change on wildfire in the North Fork.  Tentative presenters at the workshop include Wally Bennett and Steve Frye, who played instrumental roles in efforts to suppress the Wedge fire, as well as our own Allen Chrisman

Fuels mitigation grant

In 2012, the DNRC awarded the North Fork community a hazardous fuels reduction grant.  It’s the third such grant that the community has received; well over 100 North Fork landowners have participated in the program.  Monies are distributed on a cost-share basis, with the grant providing 75% of the cost and the landowner providing the remaining 25%.  The total value of the grant, with landowners’ share, is about $133,000.

As of March 1, 2013, most of the grant money has been committed to landowner projects.  It’s possible that we can obtain additional funding, contingent on the resolution of budget issues in Washington, D.C. and a demonstration of continuing landowner interest in the program.