Forest Service Plan Prescribed Burn In Broadwater County
Author: Chiara Cipriano, Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest Service
Forest Service Plans Prescribed Burns in Broadwater County
Chiara Cipriano
Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest Service
Recent rains have moderated fire potential on the Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest and staff will soon resume work to reduce excess fuels across the forest using prescribed fire. We have identified three potential units to burn this week: American Bar, Spruce Hills and Wakina Sky.
“Prescribed fire is one of our best ways to improve forest health and reduce wildfire severity when paired with other management methods,” said Helena Fire Management Officer Mike Kaiser. “This work is critical to continue to give ourselves more management options for wildfires in the future.”
Conditions permitting September 25, fire personnel burned 266 acres in American Bar, east of Holter Reservoir near the Gates of the Mountains. On Thursday, September 26 crews may burn approximately 275 acres in Spruce Hills located east of Canyon Ferry Lake in the Big Belt Mountains. Friday, September 27, we may have a window to burn 205 acres of excess fuels in Wakina Sky, just southwest of Helena.
During prescribed fire, fire professionals pre-plan, record hourly weather, track smoke dispersal, monitor fire behavior and may cease operations to mitigate wildfire smoke. All prescribed burns are coordinated with our partner Montana Department of Environmental Quality to minimize the harmful impacts of smoke on the community.
Please call the Helena Ranger District at (406) 449-5201 if you have any questions. Additional information will be shared on our website and Facebook page @HLNF.
