Update on the Coal Ridge Cabin

Andy Huntsberger, Assistant Fire Management Officer – Operations, Flathead National Forest sent in an update on work they have been doing at the Coal Ridge Cabin. Here is a timeline:

  • 2012 we put a new roof on and installed a new wood stove and pipe
  • 2014 installed all new siding (donated be the Northwest Montana Forest Fire Lookout Association), new coat of stain and all new glass
  • 2015 we plan on finishing/second coat of stain and possibly replacing some floor boards

Andy goes on to say… When I was at the Cabin last summer I read the entries in the visitor log and it was all very positive and informative.  The Cabin is currently being used as a day shelter for hikers and at this time we do not plan on changing this.  We could and would  post someone at this cabin, if needed, during a wildfire event.  However, on a regular and reoccurring basis we plan on leaving it open to the public.  It is 3.5 mile hike and a decent pull to the site, ideally this will deter any vandalism.  We encourage the public to visit and enjoy this site.

Finally, Andy sent some photographs of the Coal Ridge Cabin, before and after work. Here they are:

North Fork History Project Takes a Leap Forward

Cecily McNeilSeveral years ago, members of the NFLA History Committee began to interview and record the stories of people who have been in the North Fork for a long time. Folks talk about what the North Fork was like when they arrived, going to school on the North Fork, encounters with bears, moose, and bobcats and much more. At this point there are 17 recordings that can be downloaded from the NFLA website at nflandowners.org/north-fork-history-project/.

Recently, the history project took a major step forward when Chris Graff and Monica Phillips volunteered to pay for written transcripts from these interviews. They came up with this idea as a way to support the history project and make the interviews accessible to more people. Thanks to Chris and Monica for their generous donation! The interviews can now be read on the website.

To make the history page even more interesting, Patti Hart has added photographs of those who have been interviewed and those who have been featured in North Fork short stories.

So check out the new and improved North Fork History Project page.

Fire Mitigation Committee Report, Late Winter 2015

2015 Firewise Day

The North Fork has been recognized as a Firewise Community for ten years. One of the requirements for continuing recognition is holding an annual Firewise Day event. The North Fork’s annual Firewise workshops have been informative and well-attended, covering a range of wildfire and stewardship topics.

This year, the NFLA’s Fire Mitigation Committee will sponsor its Firewise workshop on Wednesday, July 15 2015 from 9:30 a.m. to noon, immediately preceding the Summer Interlocal meeting. Although plans for the event are not yet complete, the committee expects to show a video of fire behavior during the 2014 Pacific Northwest fire season. Tentatively, presenters will include Lincoln Chute, Flathead County Fire Service Area Manager, and committee co-chair Allen Chrisman.   We’ll probably also hear updates from the agency representatives with whom we work. More information about the program will be posted on the NFLA website when the agenda is final.

Hazardous Fuels Grants

Since the fires of 2003, the Fire Mitigation Committee has helped numerous private landowners treat hazardous forest fuels on their properties by obtaining cost-share grants. The grants have paid 75% of the cost of an eligible project and the landowner has contributed the remaining 25%.

We are currently working on our fourth grant, this one in the amount of $91,000. One of our priorities for the grant is to reduce fuel accumulations along the lower stretch of Trail Creek Road, where it passes through private property. Treating fuels there will improve ingress and egress for landowners, allow safer access for firefighters, and afford an escape route over the Whitefish Divide. Committee members are contacting landowners to discuss the program and to determine their interest in participation.

Lincoln Chute has obtained approval from the Flathead County commissioners to use a county chipper to help dispose of slash generated along Trail Creek Road. We’ll need to show substantial, wide-spread benefit to warrant use of the equipment. Landowners also will need to cut slash material to size and align it along the roadside to facilitate handling.

More information about participation in the grant program is available from Bill Swope, who may be reached at 406-250-9812 or at bhswope@gmail.com.

North Fork Winter Interlocal Agreement 2015 Meeting Minutes

Michael Dardis from the Flathead National Forest and Tim Thier from FWPThe winter North Fork Interlocal Agreement meeting took place last Wednesday, February 11th, at the Community Building in West Glacier. As in the past, this meeting was well attended by North Forkers and agency representatives alike. Allen Chrisman was kind enough to take extensive notes and turn them into minutes for the meeting. These include answers to specific questions submitted by North Forkers prior to the meeting. These are attached here as a pdf. The next Interlocal Agreement meeting will take place this coming summer. Keep an eye on the NFLA calendar for the date and details.

Ed “Mac” McNeil Passed

Ed McNeil2Last Sunday, February 8th, long time North Forker Ed “Mac” McNeil passed away. Mac and his wife Cecily bought land near Dutch Creek in Glacier National Park in the early 60s.   They later bought 103 acres and built a cabin on the other side of the river near Moose Creek and lived there during the summers.

Mac and Cecily were early members of the North Fork Improvement Association which turned into the North Fork Landowners Association of today. They also worked to get a zoning petition and helped to found the North Fork Compact in 1973 in an effort to save the North Fork from development.

North Forkers have fond memories of events and square dances with Mac McNeil, Cecily, and their two sons Alan and Bruce. Mac will be missed.

If you are interested in hearing more about the North Fork from Mac and Cecily, there are audio interviews with them both on the North Fork History Project web page. You can get to that by clicking here.

There is also an excellent obituary provided by the Daily Inter Lake.

 

Reminders

The new year has begun and the NFLA is getting organized for the summer.  Here are a couple of reminders.

  • Don’t forget to pay your dues by March 1 so that you get your copy of the NFLA 2015 Newsletter this spring.  For more information, check out this announcement.
  • Now is the time to get your event scheduled on the NFLA 2015 Calendar.  Contact Carol Dolan-Groebe at caroldg1@gmail.com if you have an NFLA-related event that you would like everyone to know about for this year.
  • And check out the NFLA calendar as the year goes along to see all the events scheduled.

University of Montana returns to the North Fork

The University of Montana returns to the North Fork from Sunday January 18 until Friday January 23. And the usual Monday night program by Rick and Susie Graetz – Monday January 19 at 6:30 PM in the Community Center – will be presented. This event this year features a new version of “This Is Montana.”

THIS IS MONTANA

It’s been called an Uncommon Land, High Wide and Handsome, the Treasure State. The Land of the Shining Mountains and Big Sky Country…whatever the label, this Montana is a grand mix of geography and history – time and space go well together in this corner of America. Continue reading University of Montana returns to the North Fork

Fall 2014 Enrollment Letter

It’s that time of year again, time for the Fall Enrollment Letter where North Fork landowners are encouraged to get involved with the NFLA.  The enrollment has been mailed out, but in case yours goes astray, here it is in an electronic version: 2014 Enrollment Letter.

Generating and mailing the Fall Enrollment Letter and Spring Newsletter takes a lot of work and time on the part of some dedicated NFLA members.  We want to thank Bonny Ogle, Lois Walker, Heather Sullivan, Allen Chrisman and everyone else involved for volunteering to do this work that will give all North Fork landowners an opportunity to hear about the NFLA and hopefully join in.

You can read a copy of this letter and get all of the past NFLA newsletters from the Newsletters page.

Thanksgiving at the Hall 2014

The community celebrated another wonderful Thanksgiving at the Community Hall last evening.  The roads getting to the hall were icy and slick, but friends and neighbors (some coming all the way from town) were not to be stopped.  Several folks brought appetizers including some delicious deviled eggs. The side dishes were especially good this year including mashed potatoes, several different types of dressing, several different types of corn pudding, green beans with fried onions, cranberry sauces, and salads. Finally, the desserts were wonderful including several different versions of pumpkin pie, pecan pie, a huckleberry/rhubarb crumble, and melt-in-your-mouth toffee.

We want to thank Steve and Christina Berg for hosting this annual event as well as all the folks who helped cook the turkeys and ham, served, and stayed to help clean up.

Don’t forget Christmas Day dinner at the Hall and New Year’s Eve at the Hall.  Both of these events are again open to the public and everyone is welcome.  For more information, see the NFLA calendar.

Fire Mitigation Committee Report, Fall 2014

Firewise Day2014 Firewise Day

The North Fork Landowners’ Association’s Fire Mitigation Committee held its annual Firewise Day workshop on July 16, 2014. The theme of the workshop was “Wildfires Happen: Take Action! Plan. Prepare. Prevent.”

The program began with a powerful DVD about recent major fires in Colorado, with a segment on the Yarnell Hill Fire in Arizona in 2013. Several outstanding presentations followed. Angela Mallon, Stewardship Specialist with the Montana DNRC’s Forestry Division, used model simulations to demonstrate the effectiveness of various fuel treatments. North Fork landowner Larry Kinsolving described the restoration work that he and his wife Ruth are doing on their property in the aftermath of the Wedge Canyon Fire in 2003. The title of his presentation was “Closing the Ring: Fire, Restoration and Beyond.”

The forty attendees heard updates about North Fork activities from representatives of the U. S. Forest Service and the DNRC. They also learned about the status of the North Fork’s current hazardous fuels mitigation grants. Finally, they were given an overview of the Firesafe Montana program by Jennifer LaManna, Firesafe’s Executive Director.

Work completed on the Sondreson Hall Fuels Mitigation ProjectSondreson Community Hall Hazardous Fuels Project

The North Fork Landowners’ Association applied for and received a hazardous fuels reduction grant for work around Sondreson Community Hall. North director Allen Chrisman, who also serves as co-chair of the Fire Mitigation Committee, lined out the project. The objective was to remove surface and ladder fuels and to provide space between the crowns of the remaining trees.

Nineteen volunteers contributed a total of 81 hours and the use of equipment to the Hall project. They sought to minimize soil disturbance and visual impacts, leaving strong, healthy trees in place.   The project was completed in late May 2014 and has been well-received by the community.

Hazardous Fuels Grants

The DNRC awarded the North Fork its fourth hazardous fuels grant in the Fall of 2013, this one in the amount of $91,000. As with our three previous grants, monies are available on a cost-share basis, with the grant paying 75% of the cost and the landowner contributing the remaining 25%.

A priority of the new grant is to reduce fuel accumulations along the lower segment of Trail Creek Road, where it passes through private property. Treating the fuels will provide significant benefits, among them improving ingress and egress for landowners, allowing safer access for firefighters, and affording an escape route over the Whitefish Divide in the event of a large fire or other catastrophic event in the lower North Fork Valley.

The Fire Mitigation Committee is working collaboratively with private landowners, the Forest Service and Flathead County on the Trail Creek Road project.