Prescribed burns planned on state lands

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is planning a number of prescribed burns on Northwest Montana state land this fall.

Smoke will be visible from various places in the Flathead and Swan Valleys. All prescribed burns will follow Montana Air Quality Standards and are coordinated with the Montana State Department of Environmental Quality to reduce the impacts of smoke.

Prescribed fire is used by forest managers to reduce slash and prepare treated forest stands for regeneration. Forest officials say that low to moderate intensity fire returns nutrients to the soil, releases cone seeds on newly exposed mineral soil, and reduces presence of competing vegetation to better allow new seedlings to establish and thrive. The reduction of slash creates breaks in fuel across the landscape and decreases the potential for large fire growth in treated areas.

Swan River State Forest

• Swan Wood Unit 23-07 – (88 acres) Located off Fatty Creek Road. Smoke will be visible from HWY 83 and the town of Swan Lake.

• Cilly 349 Unit 04-16 – (6 acres) Located in South Lost Creek Drainage on the bottom 1/3 of the slope. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake, and portions of the South end of the Flathead Valley.

• Cilly 349 Unit 09-14 – (15 acres) Located on Cilly Ridge south of South Lost Creek. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake and areas of southern Flathead Valley.

• Cilly Excaline Unit 10-05 – (11 acres) Located near Cilly Creek off Soup Creek Rd. Will be visible from HWY 83, the town of Swan Lake, and southern Flathead Valley.

For more information on the Swan River State Forest call 406-754-2301 or contact the Unit Manager at mattarno@mt.gov .

Stillwater State Forest

• King Hemlock – One unit (9-acres) located on the north end of Whitefish Lake. Smoke will be visible from the head of Whitefish Lake.

• Mystery Fish – Two units (54-acres) located near Stryker Ridge. Smoke may be visible east of the Highway 93 corridor from Olney north to Point of Rocks.

• Antice Central – Eight units (156 acres) located east of Stryker Ridge. Smoke may be visible east of the Highway 93 corridor from Olney north to Point of Rocks

• Lower Herrig – Three units (100 acres) located east of Stryker Ridge and northwest of Upper Whitefish Lake.

• Moran Cyclone – Four units (47 acres) located east of Cyclone Lake. Smoke may be visible from the North Fork Road and Polebridge, Montana.

For more information on the Stillwater State Forest call 406-881-2371 or contact the Unit Manager at dring@mt.gov.