Category: Committees

Stage II Fire Restrictions Implemented across NW Montana

Note that the fire danger in Flathead County is now rated at Extreme.
This press release is also downloadable in PDF format…

Northern Rockies Coordination Group
Northwest Montana Area
For Immediate Release: July 22, 2021

Stage II Fire Restrictions Implemented across NW Montana

Kalispell, MT, July 22, 2021 — Interagency fire managers agreed to implement Stage II Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Monday, July 26th, 2021 across the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park,  Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks sites, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Kalispell, Stillwater, and Swan Units, and Flathead County.

Continue reading Stage II Fire Restrictions Implemented across NW Montana

Fire restrictions updated for NW Montana; Flathead County at Stage I Saturday

Here we go again. Note that the fire danger in Flathead County is rated at Very High. From the official press release . . .

Northern Rockies Coordination Group
Northwest Montana Area
For Immediate Release: July 15, 2021
Fire Restrictions Updated for NW Montana

Kalispell, MT, July 15, 2021 — Interagency fire managers agreed to implement Stage I Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Saturday, July 17th, 2021 across the Flathead National Forest, Glacier National Park, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Kalispell, Stillwater, and Swan Units, and Flathead County.

Interagency fire managers are implementing Stage II Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:01am Saturday, July 17th, 2021 across the Kootenai National Forest, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Libby Unit, Sanders and Lake County lands.

Interagency fire managers are implementing Stage II Fire Restrictions that will go into effect at 12:00am Friday, July 16th, 2021 across Lincoln County lands.

Continue reading Fire restrictions updated for NW Montana; Flathead County at Stage I Saturday

Fire and Smoke Map

Fire & Smoke Map snippetWith fire season fast approaching, this is a nice find. This very handy map showing fires, air quality and smoke plumes is part of the U.S. EPA’s “AirNow” air quality website. Use this link for a map centered on Columbia Falls, MT: https://fire.airnow.gov/?lat=48.3637&lng=-114.1893&zoom=7#. Or you can find it on the NFPA’s “Wildfire Information” page.

‘Wildfire Information’ page updated

Granite Fire - evening of Aug 26, 2015
Granite Fire – evening of Aug 26, 2015

With fire season looming, the NFPA’s Wildfire Information page has been subjected to its annual housecleaning. As usual, there was some “link rot.” A few new resources were added and one or two eliminated that simply no longer existed.

June 1st National Wildland Fire Potential

I am a little late forwarding out the current National Wildland Fire Potential.  I’ll be sharing this through the fire season until we get our season ending event.

This is as we would expect given our dry spring and spreading drought.  The good news is that we in the North Fork are in a better position than most of the West.  That is not much consolation since the outlook across the West is grim.  Specifically for the Northern Rockies, here are some excerpts: Continue reading June 1st National Wildland Fire Potential

County Planning Board meeting June 9th at 6:00pm

Greetings and a big thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to send in your comments to the planning office!  We’re not done yet, so if you haven’t yet sent in a comment there is still time until June 8th.  The email address is planning.zoning@flathead.mt.gov or snail mail Flathead County Planning and Zoning Office 1035 1st Avenue Avenue West Kalispell, MT 59901. The Planning Board meeting is scheduled for June 9th at 6:00pm on the second floor at 40 11th Street West (this is located at the south end of the skywalk between the two new county buildings). If you could attend that would be greatly appreciated!  Furthermore, if you would like to attend via Zoom here are the details:

Continue reading County Planning Board meeting June 9th at 6:00pm

NFLUAC to meet at Sondreson Hall, March 9, 6pm

Greetings! You are all cordially invited to the next North Fork Land Use Advisory Committee meeting being held Tuesday March 9th at 6:00pm at Sondreson Hall. The text Amendment Sub Committee will be updating their progress. Your involvement is crucial to the success of this important endeavor to help preserve the North Fork we all know and love. Thank you.
Randy Kenyon
Chair, NFLUAC

Almost out of the woods for Fire Season 2020

Cross-posted from Facebook . . .
Well, we are almost out of the woods for Fire Season 2020 in the Northern Rockies. We have areas of dry fuel with potential in Eastern Montana, although the forecast is for normal fire potential across the Geographic Area.
Our rainfall in Northwest Montana on September 24 and 25 provided significant relief, but the warmer daytime temperatures leave us with some potential. More moisture will help a lot. Note there are other parts of the country that will continue to have active fire seasons.
This will be the last Outlook I post until Spring 2021. Feel free to access the monthly updates on your own, posted the first of each month.
Wait for a bit more before burning your piles, unless you enjoy chasing skunking fires. And when you do burn, be sure and know what the wind is going to do. Thanks, and be safe out there!