Using information from Lynn Ogle, Debo Powers (currently at Cyclone LO) and some digging through online resources…
The Weasel Fire is at 30 acres, up from it’s initial 10, and moving towards the northeast. It generated a lot of visible smoke yesterday, but is currently no threat to the North Fork. Location is in the Kootenai National Forest, 26 miles northwest of Polebridge (see image; fire location is in upper left corner).
The hot spots in last year’s Hay Creek burn disappeared from the satellite imagery overnight and there is no smoke from that location.
The Flattop Mountain Fire in Glacier NP continues to skunk around at 0.1 acres.
There were no other verifiable local smoke reports yesterday.
This is a summary of local wildfire issues based on information from Lynn Ogle and various other resources. No agency had issued any press releases at the time I put this together at 0720…
Flathead NF: Two hot-spots along the ridgetop in last year’s Hay Creek burn; FNF is sending a ground crew in to check it out; initial report 30 July. (See image below.)
Kootenai NF: Weasel Fire (sometimes called “D3 Weasel”), on the east slope of a ridge to the west of Weasel Creek. It was about 7 acres in extent initially on 30 July, is now 13.50 acres, and is being handled by the Kootenai National Forest. According to Bill Fordyce, “The Kootenai has put a lot of resources on the Weasel Fire. It’s a 10 plus acres. Some of that area burned 5 or 6 years ago so there would be standing dead and down…”
Bill
Approximate position, according to Zoom Earth, of the two hotspots in last year’s Hay Creek burn. The nearest is about 6.5 miles west of Polebridge. We should know more once Flathead NF gets some people up there to look around…
(look for the kind of orangy glows near the left edge of the image. Those spots are *not* to scale, they just indicate rough positions!)
Hay Creek Hotspots, approximate postions, 31 July 22
This past week, a Forest Service fire crew removed a number of trees posing a threat to the historic Ford Schoolhouse. According to Forest Service Archeologist Ryan Powell, a Youth Conservation Corps crew will do further clearing at the site in July. In September, the Forest Service historic preservation team out of Missoula plans to reinstall the windows that have been stripped of their lead-based paint, do further foundation work, and replace the existing metal roof with a shake roof. The schoolhouse was originally constructed in 1917-1918. Continue reading Ford Schoolhouse preservation work continues
Don’t forget the North Fork Fuels Reduction Field Trip Wednesday, June 15 beginning at Mark and Margaret Heaphy’s place, 11530 North Fork Road at 0930. While there we will talk about fuel modification around structures, and the work that has been done in the North Fork in response to our large fires.
Bring a bag lunch to enjoy at Sondreson Community Hall, while NRCS District Conservationist Sean Johnson goes over the Wedge Canyon TIP project – where grant funding is available to landowners not only within the Wedge Canyon Fire Area, but all forested landowners from Teepee Creek/Ford Work Station north to the Canadian Border. He will cover not only the project area and types of work that qualifies, but also the application process. Continue reading North Fork Fuels Reduction Field Trip, Wednesday, June 15
Greetings everyone. Here is our first Outlook that can give us a reasonable hint of what the fire season might look like. The good news is that the forecast looks like a “normal” fire season for Northwest Montana – which of course includes the North Fork.
The bad news, of course, is that the rest of Montana, especially east of the Divide, is looking at potentially being significantly above normal wildland fire potential.
The caution for us is that even with the cool spring, and increased snowpack over the past month or two, those factors are transitory. That is, if we wind up turning off hot and dry in early July, the positive effects that the cool, wet spring we had will dissipate quickly. We had that a few years ago, and meteorologists called it a “Flash Drought.” It was not forecasted that summer and caught the meteorologists by surprise. They apologized the next spring for having told us we would have a “Slow Normal” fire season…
So, we need to prepare for a reasonably active fire season, as normal. One factor of course, is that resources will be spread thin with potentially a lot of activity elsewhere in the Northern Rockies, and around the Country.
While these Outlooks are useful, there are limits to their accuracy. The July Outlook will give us a better look at the conditions going into July, and the weather systems that might affect the rest of our fire season.
Stay tuned.
Thanks to all! Remember our Fuels Field Trip on June 15, and our Firewise Day on July 13.
The North Fork Land Use Advisory sub-committee members have completed their monumental efforts and now present the revised North Fork Neighborhood Plan draft zoning text amendment for review. Attached you will find four documents: a summary of the revision process; an overview of the changes made; the draft text amendment; and finally the agenda for a North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee (NFLUAC) meeting on June 2nd, 6:00pm, at Sondreson Hall. We ask that you carefully review the draft text amendment and attend this meeting with your questions and comments. We are following the county process and hopefully, at the conclusion of the June 2nd meeting, the committee will vote for submittal to the planning office for a staff report, triggering additional opportunities for comment. If you are unable to participate in this meeting or need further information, or if you know someone who is unaware of the committee’s work and might be interested, please contact me. We hope to hear from you!
A note from Rob Davies, Hungry Horse-Glacier View District Ranger:
We will be initiating a contract next week in response to the large slash piles left from the Hay Creek Fire fuel breaks.
Plowing of the Red Meadow road will be allowed up to the Spruce Creek Road (about 2 miles) where that very large slash pile exists. The contractor will be grinding slash, loading into trucks and hauling back to town.
There are other slash plies up the Moose Creek Road that will also be ground up and hauled off.
The Moose Creek Road is already plowed, which shouldn’t create any issues, but the Red Meadow Road activity will create a situation where snowmobilers need to drive with their trailers up to the Spruce Creek road junction instead of parking at the bottom where the North Fork Road Connects to Red Meadow. A turn-around and small parking area will be plowed out at the junction of Red Meadow and Spruce Creek Roads.
Hauling is not expected to be very frequent — maybe two loads a day. Activity may occur all winter until the county sets load limits in the spring. We don’t know if the contractor will start at Moose Creek or Red Meadow Road but as I get more details I will share them with you.
Feel free to call myself (406-387-3801) or Timber Management Assistant Paul Donnellon (406 387-3807 or 406 260-7264), at the ranger station in Hungry Horse.
There has been a recent significant turn of events in the Avila zoning variance matter. It appears now our zoning language makes this variance a done deal. This is confirmed by the planning office email below. This, along with a variety of other logistical considerations, has placed the NFLUAC in an awkward position. This has led to the difficult decision of canceling the upcoming meeting scheduled for this coming Wednesday the 22nd. We do feel it remains important to express your concerns to the planning staff and Board of Adjustment. This outcome underscores the need to complete the text amendment revision. These efforts proceed on and we can assure all landowners that their participation in this endeavor is essential. We look forward to your continued support.
NF Neighborhood Plan and Zoning 3.40.04
3. Any existing lot or tract which cannot meet these setbacks because of size or topographic limitations will be given a variance.
I spoke with Erik, the director, and he did confirm that this particular variance, it did meet the criteria for approval as stated in The Zoning Regulations, Section 3.40.03 (as you had referenced earlier) and will be granted. The review of the LUAC is just a formality and will go forward.
NORTH FORK LAND USE ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING
WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 22ND 5:00PM
SONDRESON HALL
CALL TO ORDER
THOSE PRESENT
READING OF PREVIOUS MEETING MINUTES
1. THE COMMITTEE WILL REVIEW, DISCUSS AND RESPOND TO AN APPLICATION FOR A ZONING VARIANCE SETBACK ON BEHALF OF ALEXANDRA AND CAESAR AVILA AT THEIR TRAIL CREEK PROPERTY. THE LINKS BELOW WILL TAKE YOU TO THE VARIANCE INFORMATION PACKET.
2. BRIEF DISCUSSION REGARDING THIS COMMITTEE’S VACANCY.
