Firewood, slash & bugs: How to protect your personal forest & reduce wildfire risk

While late fall through early winter brings pleasant temperatures to work outside, it can also contribute to insect issues the following year. If lodgepole or ponderosa pines are cut without time to thoroughly dry before the following June, pine engraver (Ips) beetle populations can build to levels that are hazardous to trees. Pine engraver populations can build up in both limbs of ponderosa pines discarded from logging operations as well as in smaller diameter stems cut for fuels reduction.

Indications of Ips infestation include boring dust where beetles have entered logs or slash, as well as at the base of standing trees that have been attacked. Standing trees will start losing color a few months to a year following an attack.

The best way to avoid inviting Ips beetles into becoming a problem is to avoid creating pine slash from December to July, or when it could become buried by snow which essentially stores the slash for springtime beetle consumption. If slash must be created during this period, there are a few strategies that can be employed to help reduce the risk of infestation. Slash may be chipped, trampled, or lopped into smaller pieces then scattered or burned. The goal is to get the bark dry enough that it cannot act as a food source for the next generation of beetle.

Other good practices, regardless of type of tree or time of year, are to avoid stacking fresh firewood against standing trees, maintain enough space between burn piles and standing trees to avoid scorching their crown, and avoid damaging trees during construction activities. Earth moving activities can damage the roots of trees resulting in stressed trees. Stressed trees are more vulnerable and likely to die from a variety of reasons, including insects and disease. Trees that have excessively damaged roots can also act as brood sites for insects which then spill over to trees in the surrounding stand.

Even when all guidance is followed, beetles can still move in and become problematic for landowners. Through the thinning of stands and encouraging diverse species composition, landowners can make their forest stands less susceptible to insects of all kinds as well as help to reduce the risk of wildfire adversely affecting their forests and homes. Forests that have been thinned through fuels mitigation work are also less susceptible to insect infestation and disease outbreaks due to increased stand health by reducing tree competition for resources.

Through thoughtful implementation of fuel reduction activities including proper slash and firewood management, you can help protect your trees from wildfire and lessen the likelihood of insect infestation. If you have further questions, would like a forest health and wildfire risk assessment, or would like help managing your forest, there are several resources available locally to help.

Both the Clearwater and Swan Units of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation have Service Foresters available to provide free forest health and wildfire risk assessment site visits. For more information visit dnrc.mt.gov/Forestry/Forest-Management/find-local-forester or call your local DNRC Unit Office.

Clearwater Resource Council is also active in the Seeley Lake area helping landowners manage their forests for forest health and wildfire risk. Visit crcmt.org/fuels for more information.

Also providing landowner help with fuels management and wildfire risk, the Blackfoot Challenge (blackfootchallenge.org) is active in the entire Blackfoot watershed, and Swan Valley Connections (swanvalleyconnections.org) provides services throughout the Swan Valley.

For information on forest health and fuels management of the federal lands in the Seeley Lake area and Swan Valley, visit the Lolo National Forest Seeley Lake Ranger District Office (fs.usda.gov/detail/lolo) or the Flathead National Forest Swan Lake Ranger District Office (fs.usda.gov/detail/flathead). The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (nrcs.usda.gov) can provide technical assistance and has programs to help landowners manage their forests throughout Montana as well.

For more information on homeowner wildfire preparedness for Missoula County, visit the Missoula County Fire Protection Association website at MCFPA.org. The Missoula County Fire Protection Association includes members representing Missoula County fire departments and rural fire districts, Missoula County, and state and federal agencies that work together to provide education on fire prevention and safety measures that the public can take to protect themselves, their property, and their environment.