Weather allows for planned burning

A series of prescribed burns are planned on the Flathead National Forest this week, starting with a 1,000-acre burn in the Piper Creek drainage west of the Swan Valley that got started on Monday.

The burns are being carried out as favorable weather, wind and fuel conditions develop.

The Piper Creek burn, which will be implemented in phases, was expected to eventually involve a closure of Piper Creek Trail 119. The project is intended to allow future lightning-caused fires to play more of a natural role within and outside the Mission Mountain Wilderness.

Another significant burn was expected to be carried out on 1,362 acres east of Hungry Horse Reservoir and northwest of Great Northern Mountain. The Paint Emery burn is intended to enhance tree and vegetation diversity and to reduce the risk of severe wildland fires in the area.

A 295-acre burn was planned for Firefighter Mountain to improve wildlife forage.

On the Tally Lake Ranger District, a 142-acre burn was planned near Grouse Creek to protect a shrub field from conifer encroachment.

On the Spotted Bear Ranger District, hand crews were expected to burn 153 acres in the Horse Ridge area, and 12 acres near Spotted Bear, with both burns expected to improve winter range wildlife habitat.