Category: News

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

June 1st National Wildland Fire Potential

I am a little late forwarding out the current National Wildland Fire Potential.  I’ll be sharing this through the fire season until we get our season ending event.

This is as we would expect given our dry spring and spreading drought.  The good news is that we in the North Fork are in a better position than most of the West.  That is not much consolation since the outlook across the West is grim.  Specifically for the Northern Rockies, here are some excerpts: Continue reading June 1st National Wildland Fire Potential

County Planning Board meeting June 9th at 6:00pm

Greetings and a big thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to send in your comments to the planning office!  We’re not done yet, so if you haven’t yet sent in a comment there is still time until June 8th.  The email address is planning.zoning@flathead.mt.gov or snail mail Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office 1035 1st Avenue Avenue West Kalispell, MT 59901. The Planning Board meeting is scheduled for June 9th at 6:00pm on the second floor at 40 11th Street West (this is located at the south end of the skywalk between the two new county buildings). If you could attend that would be greatly appreciated!  Furthermore, if you would like to attend via Zoom here are the details:

Continue reading County Planning Board meeting June 9th at 6:00pm

COVID-19: Updated Sondreson Hall Use Restrictions and Guidelines

The COVID-19 policy for events at Sondreson Hall is based on current CDC guidelines. People who have not been fully vaccinated are encouraged to continue taking precautions, including hand washing, wearing a mask and, where practical, practicing social distancing.

If needed, disposable masks are available at the hall. The suggested donation for a mask is $1.00, but do not hesitate to use a mask just because you don’t have a dollar handy.

Hand sanitizer is also available at the hall.

NFLA Board of Directors
May 23, 2021

Notes

In general, people are considered fully vaccinated:
    2 weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series, such as the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or
    2 weeks after a single-dose vaccine, such as Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine.

See the CDC website (cdc.gov) for more details on COVID-19 precautions.

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