Mark Your Calendars! The Fire Mitigation Committee is planning for the North Fork’s 2018 Firewise Day, which will be held the morning of July 18 preceding the Summer Interlocal. The North Fork has been recognized as a Firewise Community since 2006. Come join our Celebration! Byron Bonney will be our featured speaker again. This year he will tell us about… Read more →
There is essentially no change from the May Outlook for Northwest Montana. I do see some indication that we might not have an extended season into October which would be good. On the other hand, the monsoonal moisture that will be pushing up into the Yellowstone country could very well increase our dry lightning levels without bringing the moisture. That… Read more →
Here is a note from Allen Chrisman, NFLA’s co-chair for the Fire Mitigation Committee… Here is the link to the June National Wildland Fire Outlook: https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf There is essentially no change from the May Outlook for Northwest Montana. I do see some indication that we might not have an extended season into October which would be good. On the other hand,… Read more →
Well, I had hoped that we would get a better forecast for the fire season. This doesn’t look good. Northern Rockies: Normal Significant Wildland Fire Potential is expected for the Northern Rockies in May and June. For July and August, Above Normal Significant Wildland Fire Potential is expected from central Montana west through the Idaho Panhandle, excluding the Beaverhead Deer… Read more →
2017 was a record year for Wildland Fire in Montana with some 1.4 million acres burned. Fortunately, the North Fork escaped large fires. However, with our long history of large fires in 1988, 2001 and 2003, it is only a matter of time before we see large fire return to the North Fork. Many North Fork residents have taken advantage… Read more →
We are in good shape being out of season with reasonable moisture – snowpack is around 123% of normal for the Flathead. I was just in Albuquerque last week, and they are in continued drought with their ski area unable to open because they have more bare ground than they do snow cover. Grim. Jackson Wyoming just cancelled a Skijoring… Read more →
We thought that North Forkers would be interested in reading the Western Region National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy September Newsletter. It begins… This has been a particularly tough season for stakeholders in the West. Cohesive Strategy’s Western Region and its partners are leading the charge to facilitate identification and implementation of collaborative, cross-boundary solutions to the complex, landscape-level issues we are… Read more →
Here is the link to the September/October/November Wildland Fire Outlook: https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf For September in the Northern Rockies: Above Normal significant large fire potential is expected in all areas except Yellowstone National Park and eastern North Dakota in September where Normal Potential is expected. In October Above Normal significant large fire potential will continue across the southern Idaho Panhandle and across… Read more →
This link takes you to a map that shows in real-time the lightning strikes in our area. https://www.lightningmaps.org/?lang=en#m=sat;r=0;t=2;s=0;o=0;b=;n=0;y=48.5183;x=-113.6441;z=7;d=2;dl=2;dc=0; There is also an IOS app called “My Lightning Tracker” that you might try. It sends you notifications (alerts) when lightening strikes in your area.
Following is a report from co-chairs Molly Shepherd and Allen Chrisman… The NFLA’s Fire Mitigation Committee sponsored its annual Firewise Day workshop on July 19, 2017, immediately preceding the Summer Interlocal meeting. About 55 people attended. The program was compelling and well-received by attendees. Our principal speaker was Byron Bonney, who had a long and distinguished career with the Forest… Read more →