Zortman-Landusky Mine pile burning starts today
MALTA, Mont. – Bureau of Land Management fuels program specialists started burning piles of woody material today in the Little Rocky Mountains within the Malta Field Office administered area.
The Zortman-Landusky Mine pile burn is located in Phillips County, Montana, approximately 3 miles northwest of Zortman, along the Antoine Butte Road.
The work area covers 17 acres and contains about 300 piles. A majority of the woody fuels piles at this location were burned during early spring 2025. Because of snowpack at the time, the remaining piles were unable to be successfully burned, so the North Central Montana District fuels program team is returning to finish the job.
Ignition operations are anticipated to last one work shift, depending on fuel moisture and weather conditions. Smoke may persist for several days after ignition is completed. Smoke may persist for several days after ignition is complete and may be visible from Zortman and the Highway 191 corridor. Patrols of the burn area will occur until the piles are declared out.
This fuels-treatment project will help reduce conifer fuel loading, create a fuel break to protect communications infrastructure located on Antoine Butte, and support any future wildfire suppression efforts.
District fuels program staff plan to conduct prescribed burning of up to five woody pile units throughout the winter months, as fuel moisture and weather conditions allow. Read the district’s Nov. 25 announcement for details. Yesterday, district fuels specialists started burning fuels piles in the Judith Mountains near Lewistown.
Learn more about the BLM’s Fuels Management Program on the BLM website, and the National Interagency Fire Center’s website
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.