NFLA – Page 58 – North Fork Landowners Association

Patrol Agenda for July, 2015

Prepared by Lynn P. Ogle for Mark Heaphy.

Patrol is asking people to get license numbers and descriptions of strange vehicles and people, in or around your homes.

It is very difficult to know if you have given people permission or if they are renters or trespassers if you do not give them a written permission slip.

If you are in the renting business you need to realize the following:

You as the owner of the property or equipment need to give your renter a written permission slip, or you might get an unexpected call from a Sheriff’s Officer.
You need to know that the Renters may place you in a liable seat if you have a fire get away and or damage your neighbor’s property. That includes State and Federal properties. If the renter has renters insurance, they may minimize your risk, but don’t think it does until you have checked it out.
You as the Land owner are responsible to provide the necessary escape routes in case of a disaster.
Your duties include informing your renters that they must clean up their mess and pack it out; you know the rule; pack it in and pack it out!
You should make them aware of all of the animals that might become violent in the event of their pets and garbage. Make sure that they know that they must remove all of the garbage they bring with them.

You as the owner of the property should check with your own insurance company before you rent to anyone!

We as the North Fork Patrol are not responsible for damages. You as the landowner are responsible and if you choose to rent then any damages to your property needs to be reported to the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office @ 406-758-5610 or 900 South Main Street in Kalispell, Mt 59801. For more information about the North Fork Patrol, see their web page.

Firewise Day 2015 Agenda

The North Fork’s annual Firewise Day will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 from 9:30 – noon in Sondreson Community Hall. The Firewise workshop will precede the Summer Interlocal meeting. The program is timely and tailored to what is expected to be a very active fire season in Western Montana, given the record-setting warm and dry conditions this summer. If you have any questions, please contact Molly Shepherd or Allen Chrisman. We hope to see you at the workshop.

Download the Final 2015 Firewise Day Agenda from this link.

July 1 Wildland Fire National Outlook

OK – here is the grim news with no relief in sight. It doesn’t get much starker than this:

http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf

Dead fuel moisture levels in North Idaho and Western Montana are below normal for this time of year in several PSAs, and will continue to be very dry through the summer. Fine fuel and live fuel moisture values in these areas are curing out rapidly with hot dry weather and will be at peak summer dryness levels in early July.

North Idaho and Western Montana are four to five weeks earlier than normal fire season development, and ERCs and 1000hr fuel moistures will be extreme by mid-July and continue through September while returning to normal is anticipated by October.

They are actually understating the fuel models – our ERC’s are higher now than they ever get in the “Normal” Fire Season, and they are two to three weeks ahead of the previous Max ERC’s:

So you know why it feels like August out there – because it is. We are going to have at least two months of August, then probably a warm September and a mild winter. While we will still not be as bad off as Oregon and Washington, it will be small consolation because given this forecast we will see a very active and long duration fire season.

We’ll just hope that they are wrong and our fall rains will start on the 4th of July…. That’s my wish!

Keep your fire tools sharp and handy, and watch for smoke.

Thanks. Allen

Forests and Families: Congratulations to the Regional OTFY!

Here is the official announcement of the Regional Outstanding Tree Farmers of the Year – with Duke and Naomi and the Hoiland Family representing the Western Region. That is quite an honor. They are one of four finalists for the National Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year. Read more in the official news release.

Record Dry Conditions Persist, Raising Fire Danger and Dropping River Levels

The Flathead Beacon reports that Western Montana is in the clutches of an historic dry spell with triple-digit temperatures on the horizon, worsening the threat of fire danger and severely lowering stream flows. Open burning season is being closed a week early due to heightened fire conditions, according to state officials. The last day to burn debris in Flathead County is June 23. Read the full story here.

Fire Mitigation Committee Report, June 2015

Firewise Day

The North Fork’s annual Firewise Day will be held on Wednesday, July 15, 2015 from 9:30 – noon in Sondreson Community Hall. The Firewise workshop will precede the Summer Interlocal meeting.

We anticipate another excellent program. We’ll begin with a video about wildfires in Washington and Oregon in 2014. The video depicts extreme fire behavior. Then Lincoln Chute, Flathead County Fire Service Area Manager, will give a presentation about evacuation planning, structure triage, and county responsibilities during a wildfire. U.S Forest Service personnel will inform us about fire season projections and staffing levels. DNRC foresters will explain their role and the services that they provide on the North Fork. Finally, we’ll have a display and demonstration of common tools for fire suppression and information about sources for the tools.

The program is timely and tailored to what is expected to be a very active fire season in Western Montana, given the record-setting warm and dry conditions this Spring. We hope to see you at the workshop.

Ten Years as Firewise Community

The North Fork recently was honored for having been a Firewise Community for ten years. The two basic requirements are to hold an annual Firewise Day event and make a minimum per capita expenditure on Firewise activities. We received a trophy commemorating our long-time membership. It will be displayed in the Hall.

Grant Status

Landowners along Trail Creek Road have received a letter informing them about potential grant assistance for removing hazardous fuels on their properties adjoining the road. The project is a priority for our fourth hazardous fuels grant. Treating fuels along the road will improve landowners and firefighter ingress and egress. It also will afford an escape route over the Whitefish Divide for the north end of the valley.

Yellow Hawkweed is in Bloom on the North Fork

All over the North Fork, along driveways and in yards, Yellow Hawkweed has started to bloom. To the unaware, it looks like a beautiful flower, but it is actually a very noxious weed…..one of the worst weed problems in the North Fork. It spreads insidiously through its prolific seeds which can be carried afar on the wind, vehicles, boots, and animals. If untreated, a few flowers will become a thick field of yellow in just a few years choking out native wildflowers…….and it will spread to other people’s property.

The NFLA Weed Committee mailed postcards to all North Fork landowners featuring the most common noxious weeds. In addition, there are free booklets at the Community Hall with pictures of various noxious weeds and how to manage them. Continue reading Yellow Hawkweed is in Bloom on the North Fork

A word from Fire Chief Lynn Ogle

January, no snow, some rain, February not much snow and some rain, lots of ICE. March little snow and rain. April clear skies, no snow or rain. May, however was another thing. Sunshine, wind and rain. It appears that there was lots of rain and that we will have no, or not a great fire season.

While I am not a doomsday sayer, I must remind everyone that You have to have a burn permit this month. You should have the proper tools to maintain your fire in a safe manner. As an example, shovel, rake (Not Plastic), hoe, garden hose that is charged and ready to use. If you have a tank with water, have it full and the pump ready to use. When you are finished, Make sure your fire is out! Drowned it out if possible.

For more information: www.firesafekalispell.com. For questions 406-751-8730. Also check out http://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf

There is NO burning of household items such as covered chairs and or couches. No plumbing waste or electrical wires. Burning plastics is an environmental problem. Take your plastic water bottles to the landfill. (There have been enough water bottles manufactured in the world to circle the world at the equator 9 times to date.)

Again this year we will have a Firesafe Workshop at the Community Hall the day of the Interlocal, July 15, 2015. We will have interesting speakers and or presenters. We will start around 0900 AM. Lunch at about noon, with the Interlocal after. Please plan on attending.

Fire Season, begins July 1 through September 31, 2015

Lynn P. Ogle
Trail Creek Fire Company, Chief
lpogle@lazys-o.com

Looking for a wooden shelf

The NFLA Trails Committee needs a wooden shelf to display books on the flora and fauna of the Northern Rockies that people can check out at the Hall. If you are willing to donate a shelf, please email the dimensions and a picture of the shelf to debopowers@gmail.com. The committee would also like to have a section in the library of books by local authors that people can check out. All local authors are encouraged to donate a copy of their book(s) to the NFLA check-out library.