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 →
Here is the Outlook for Wildland Fire for August/September/October: https://www.nifc.gov/nicc/predictive/outlooks/monthly_seasonal_outlook.pdf This Outlook better represents the conditions we are seeing, both up the North Fork as well in more severe burning conditions across the rest of Montana. This is in sharp contrast to the forecast from Predictive Services we received at our IMT Spring Meetings which forecasted a “slow normal” fire… Read more →
This is a new closure order from Rob Davies, District Ranger of the Forest Service, via Allen Chrisman on the Kootenai, as a result of the Gibraltar Ridge Fire in the Eureka area. This closure effects travel from the North Fork over Trail Creek onto the Kootenai. We will be posting signs today at the North Fork (junction of North… Read more →
I see that according to Kootenai Dispatch WildCAD, there is a new large fire (estimated 500 acres) 7 miles east of Eureka in lower Graves Creek. It is about 20 miles due west of the North Fork Road at Whale Creek. A Type 2 Incident Management Team has been ordered. Rick Connell’s Western Montana IMT has been reserved, which means… Read more →
At the NFLA Business Meeting last evening, it was suggested that we publish a list of fire information sites. Here’s a list that we’ve put together. This list has also been published on the Fire Mitigation Committee page. If you have another information site that you use, please let us know via the contact page. An interagency fire information line… Read more →
In Northwest Montana we are still forecasted for a “normal” season, but with normal fire season in August, it should be busy. As Lynn probably mentioned at the NFLA Meeting Saturday, things are drying out quickly. I was amazed at how dry the fine fuels around our cabins have gotten in just the past week without watering. This reminds me… Read more →