Tackling the risk of wildland fire

By the calendar, Montana has four seasons. Yet, increasingly, we are experiencing a fifth; fire season. As July draws to a close, a lot of us are starting to think what might be ahead as temperatures soar and our forests become increasingly dry. The Seeley Lake community won't soon forget the smoky summer of 2017 when the fire drove folks from town and shuttered businesses and schools – straining nerves, health and the local economy.

The forests make the community beautiful but can also put it at risk. Many of these forests actually need to burn to remain healthy. The problem is that some fire cycles are out of balance. More than a century of fighting against fire has left forests unnaturally dense, and past logging practices often pulled out the biggest, most fire-resistant trees. What is left is a forest full of fuel just waiting for a dry lightning storm or carelessly tended campfire to ignite a blaze. The hotter summers brought by climate change are further increasing the risks.

But we are not helpless in the face of this risk. Groups like The Nature Conservancy, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, the Blackfoot Challenge, Clearwater Resource Council, and state and federal land management agencies are tackling the problem – with lots of the work being done by local contractors. Perhaps you've seen crews out with their chain saws, and wonder why the heck a conservation group is cutting down trees and how that can possibly help the forest.

We know that large ponderosa pines are naturally resistant to fire. That's not the case with the closely packed stands of smaller Douglas-firs. They ignite more easily and create a ladder of fuel that shoots fire into the crowns of the large trees where it can quickly spread. So, we're working to thin out those dense stands and open the forest. That not only reduces the amount of fuel for a wildfire but allows more sunlight and moisture in, helping the remaining trees grow large and healthy while creating better habitat for wildlife such as elk and owls. In some places, when conditions are right, we are also igniting low intensity "prescribed" fires to further reduce the fuel – fires that mimic those that naturally occurred for thousands of years. Forest restoration won't stop wildfires, but it can make them less severe and damaging to the environment.

This spring, in areas burned by 2017's Liberty Fire, we planted 8,000 ponderosa pines to help regenerate the forest. Next year we'll plant another 12,000. Staff is working closely with University of Montana climate change scientists and reforestation experts to choose the best planting sites and types of trees to keep the forests healthy for the years ahead. This year, our forest restoration work alone has provided jobs for at least 48 local people. We have also employed numerous contractors for invasive weed treatments and stream restoration, with more work to come through the summer.

As you may have noticed, we have started thinning operations outside the community of Placid Lake. This work is aimed at more than just forest health, we are doing it to protect the nearby homes from wildfire. The project will begin again shortly and last into the winter, barring unforeseen delays.

The task ahead is big and will require ongoing effort and diligence for years to come. But we've gotten the ball rolling. With the understanding and support of the community, we hope to make our Western Montana forests ready to withstand and thrive for people and nature, no matter what the future brings.