Fuel break projects in the Flathead National Forest proposed

Officials with the Flathead National Forest are taking public comment on three proposed fuel breaks aimed at protecting infrastructure and communities from wildfires in the Ashley Lake, Good Creek and Lion Hill areas.

The projects will utilize Section 40806 in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to reduce dangerous fuels adjacent to existing features such as roads, trails or powerlines, according to a press release from the Flathead National Forest.

The proposed fuel breaks would occur between the Tally Lake and Hungry Horse ranger districts. All three projects are located within what is known as the wildland urban interface.

Fuel breaks are linear control features that are treated to moderate fire spread and intensity, officials with the national forest said. Treatments would consist of thinning the understory along roads to reduce ladder fuels and tree densities with the goal of keeping the overstory intact.

Each fuel break may have a maximum width of 1,000 feet and techniques like hand thinning, mechanical thinning and prescribed burning may be used.

By completing fuel break projects, fire remaining near the ground will not rapidly spread into the tops of the trees if a wildfire occurred. They also give strategic access and defensible features while enhancing firefighter safety.

Public comments are due Sep. 21. To provide comments online and learn more about the project, visit the project website at: https://www.fs.usda.gov/project/flathead/?project=64699.

To submit comments by mail, address them to: Flathead National Forest, Attn: Gary Blazejewski – Flathead Fuel Break Project, P.O. Box 190340, Hungry Horse, MT 59919.

Respondents may also hand deliver comments on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Tally Lake and Hungry Horse district offices.

Contact Gary Blazejewski with any questions by telephone at 406-387-3827 or by email at gary.blazejewski@usda.gov.

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.