Missoula BLM plans prescribed burns this fall
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(MISSOULA, Mont.) – Smoke may be visible periodically during the next two months in the mountains east of Missoula. The Missoula Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is preparing for several controlled burns this fall. All of the burns are located in the Blackfoot Valley. Eight of the burns are located approximately 5 miles southwest of Clearwater Junction in the Chamberlain and Wales Creek Drainages and total approximately 1,400 acres. The other three burns are located along the Blackfoot River between Whitaker Bridge and River Bend Campground and total 300 acres. There is the possibility that the Red Rock Day Use area and the boat launch at Whitaker Bridge could be closed to the public temporarily in order ensure for public safety.
The burns may take up to 14 days to complete, and will take place when weather and fuel conditions are favorable, but could occur anytime over the next two months.
The controlled burns will reduce the amount of vegetation and hazardous fuels in the area. Fire specialists are attempting to restore the historic vegetative conditions characterized by large-diameter Douglas fir, ponderosa pine, and western larch, with intermittent openings of shrubs, forbs, and bunch grasses. By removing the small, “ladder fuels” and down woody debris, the impact of large wildfires is also reduced. Firefighters will be lighting the controlled burns by ground ignition using drip torches and by aerial ignition using helicopters outfitted with aerial ignition devices. Firefighters from the BLM, United States Forest Service (USFS), and Montana Department of Natural Resource Conservation (DNRC), will be involved in the projects. If you have questions or want more information about these controlled burns, please contact BLM Fire Management Specialist Steve Hancock at the Missoula Field Office, phone 406.329.3869.
The BLM manages more than 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.