KALISPELL — It’s that time of year when large plumes of smoke can be visible across Northwest Montana as fire agencies conduct prescribed burns.
The Flathead National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations across multiple locations in Northwest Montana this spring, in total burning more than 600 acres.
Prescribed fires are planned in 11 different locations including the Swan Valley, Spotted Bear Mountain and wildfire prone areas near Whitefish and Hungry Horse.
Flathead National Forest Fire Staff Officer Rick Connell said prescribed fires help reduce overgrown vegetation and help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires during the hot and dry summer months.
“So, we’re looking for these windows between these spring storms that we’re getting, we’ve got everything in urban interface, reducing fuels around neighborhoods to some backcountry, looking at elk habitats, we’ve got the full spectrum of opportunity for us to be productive with fire on the landscape,” said Connell.
Connell said anywhere from 15 to 60 firefighters work on a prescribed burn depending on size and landscape, partnering with multiple fire agencies in the area.
Prescribed fire is planned for the following areas:
- Cold Jim – 79 acres – Swan Valley, west of Montana highway 83
- Valley Bottom – 100 acres – Swan Valley, south of Swan River State Forest
- Bigfork Admin – 10 acres – Swan Lake Ranger Station administrative site
- Dateline – 98 acres – West of Olney in Alder and Good Creek drainages
- Mr. Rogers – 33 acres – West of Olney in the Gregg Creek drainage
- Burnt Grouse – 40 acres – West of Olney in the Good Creek drainage
- Reed Divide piles – 50 acres – Southwest of Whitefish in Reed Divide area
- Hungry Horse Admin – 5 acres – Hungry Horse Ranger Station administrative site
- Coram Pasture Admin – 20 acres – Coram Pasture administrative site
- Silver Mule – 99 acres – Spotted Bear Mountain
- Horse Ridge – 100 acres – Horse Ridge near Spotted Bear Ranger Station
